This situation has many facets, and an expert in any one of them is certainly not an expert in all the others. Experts are usually quite myopic, giving advice and proposing solutions with a very narrow perspective.
Medical experts are not also economists, so their expert advise about the way to minimize the spread of the disease may be very bad advice regarding long term effects on the national economy, including how crippling the economy may lead to poorer health and even deaths in the long run. Economic experts also usually specialize; a solution that works for large firms may bankrupt small business. What works for manufacturing may cripple agriculture. What works in one state may not in another, depending on the state's economy. Neither economists nor physicians are experts in foreign relations, and their proposed solutions don't consider possible damage in that sector.
And so on.
It's the job of the executive to sort through all these many expert opinions, and also consider that even within one field the experts may not agree, and try to balance them all to achieve an acceptable solution. That's quite a daunting task.
So the cry of "Listen to the experts!" reflects a rather simplistic view.
Precisely...very well stated.
A personal experience that is somewhat analogous...
About 18 years ago, I cut off part of the tip of my right thumb including part of the bone doing something incredibly stupid with a router. The emergency room commended me on my fast home dressing, redressed the site, and sent me to a hand specialist. The x-ray showed a curved router-bit-shaped crescent removed from the bone and the bone was visible at the end of my thumb. This hand specialist assured me that the only safe thing to do to prevent infection and really bad things happening was to amputate my thumb at the first knuckle. He may have been correct. I said absolutely not and left. He thought I was crazy to take that chance.
Found another, also well-respected hand surgeon. He advised a course of antibiotics, irrigation of the site once or twice daily (don't truly remember the frequency..this was a while ago) frequent changes of the dressing with topical antibiotic, and monitoring the healing. He thought there was excellent chance that a good bit would regenerate,and that with desensitization therapy (which was brutal..I remember THAT) I would be fine. He was right, and I am.
Now..the "back story." I am a professional pianist and violinist. Without that first joint of my right thumb, my career ("economy") would have ended. The first doctor ("expert") looked only at one aspect of the problem, and suggested what he felt was the safest course of action. He wasn't wrong..and yet, taking the big picture of my life into consideration, he was. The second doctor worked primarily on symphonic musicians and understood the big picture. They were both experts...with VERY different, life-altering recommendations.
It is not up to experts to tell us what to do. It is up to US to consult, research, parse, and make responsible informed decisions based upon various experts' specific findings.
