For context, it's estimated that BEST case scenario (flatten the curve entirely, everybody gets medical attention) that 1.1 million Americans still die[1]. This is assuming a quarantine for > 6 months [1]. Vaccines are a year off [1].

Some may see this as risky, but given that containment is out of the question, the only risk with variolation experiments would be that one catches it earlier, currently 80% of people are expected to catch Covid [1].

Given that, but surely something akin to mixing the phlegm of the infected with hot water, or exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a certain interval, would be worth a shot and potentially mass-producible.

Unfortunately I imagine our slow and process-oriented healthcare system isn't going to be innovative or fast enough for this, and more like 2 million will die in US alone.

Maybe another country will give it a try.

[1] https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/10044/1/77482/5/Impe...