Think of a healthy employment rate as the Titanic making it into New York harbor in time.
Now think of Covid 19 as the north atlantic. The goal of getting to new york on time, is not a bad goal. But getting them there alive is more important. Even maybe you could get the lifeboats there faster, by somehow throwing more people overboard, wouldn’t you rather get as many people home alive, as you possibly could? Even if doing so slowed you down some?
Edited to add: Businesses are not lifeboats in this analogy, not unless they are equipped to keep covid out.
