We weren't prepared for this.
Too much lack of drugs, lack of protective equipment, lack of understanding of the virus and its symptoms.
The economy being shut down is awful, but the effects of letting the virus run unchecked would have been catastrophic.
Think of the effects of no or shortage of ppe and drugs. Not only does corona spread, but now TB, MRSA, Hepatitis, Cdiff and other infectious diseases can't be controlled and put the healthcare workers at risk for contagion and the entire healthcare system would fail communities. Then more diseases end up widespread compounding the need and shortage of caregivers, ppe and drugs. Lack of protection would equate more deaths than we could comprehend.
This flattening of the curve is giving us time to catch up in understanding and equipment to control this virus so we don't end of with consequences coming from more than just the corona.