Classic first-order thinking: Don't want people getting together? Close parks, even if risk is tiny. But if people have nothing else, what will they do in place of going to the park? Good chance it will be something riskier. Net effect: You increase risk of transmission. https://twitter.com/Justin_Ling/status/1386690380079538182

There have been so many examples like that: It's easy and safer for the policy-maker to do the obvious thing. It's harder to think through the consequences and try something that isn't so obvious. Far too many officials stick with the easy and safe.

Incidentally, harm-reduction policies are all about avoiding simplistic first-order thinking and finding creative ways to reduce, if not eliminate, risk. Perhaps officials making these pandemic policies could have a word with their colleagues in public health.