The Atlantic

The ‘Just Stay Home’ Message Will Backfire

We need less extreme and more nuanced recommendations for navigating life during the pandemic.
Source: Samuel Aranda / Panos Pictures / Redux

For about two months now, Americans have been told the same thing over and over again by public-health officials and influencers everywhere: Stay home to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The message is true. If we all stay hermetically sealed in our homes for long enough, the virus will die out; if we don’t, it will linger. But framing the message in such a stark way may inadvertently encourage people to make worse choices. A less extreme, more nuanced, set of recommendations may get more traction—perhaps a public-health equivalent

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