I haven't run into a single person who has (confirmed) covid, so why do we still have to live like this?

I don't know anyone dying of cancer so cancer must not exist

I don't know anyone killed by a terrorist so terrorism must not exist

Sound stupid? So does your statement. 

Yes, there have been worse epidemics, but we are supposedly a little more advanced than back 100 years ago where families had 10 kids because half would die from now-preventable diseases before they were 10.

Partly the reason is to prevent the healthcare system from crashing because there are not enough beds/ventilators in ICU. Florida is on the edge right NOW. To let the health system become overwhelmed means not only do more people die of Covid because of no available ICU treatment but people with other problems like heart attacks, strokes, sepsis etc die too because there are no bed or equipment.

If you let this virus run rampant, you could see , with even half a percent mortality,  millions dead. It is only holding low-ish numbers because most  people have stayed indoors and distanced. The economy would crash anyway if that happened, as the dead don't spend money or work.

BTW, a friend's cousin died from it. 37, no health problems prior.

You are living proof of the 'the universe revolves around me' syndrome. If you don't know anyone personally affected, it must be so minor as to have no importance. No justification at all for the measures that have been taken.

I don't know anyone, yet, who has tested positive. But I do know someone who is, right this minute, nervously waiting for their test result. And if that test comes back positive, it touches my family circle and contact tracing will be a must and until that is done and everything is clear, there are family members I won't be seeing.

Who knows. There are many things happening at the same time and that has produced different theories. 

As we speak, the pedophile ring being is being destroyed. We are so distracted with murders and elections, many are not aware of the investigation. 

“Black” people are being lynched. 

The DOJ, “wants to take an aim at law that shields from lawsuits over material their users post.” A big no no. 

Bill and Melinda Gates is taking this opportunity to push their scheme of vaccinating “black” people with their formula because of the lack of healthcare they supposedly have. Another big no no. 

hospitals have been exposed for lying about the number of patients they’re treating and the deaths. 

Like anyone would tell you if they had had it.

But, I think that was the real problem start with. This whole thing was originally intended to keep people from panicking and killing each other.

Just because you haven't run into anyone who has the virus, doesn't mean that the virus is not spreading in other areas. Since so many people like to use the comparison of car accidents and the spread of Covid-19, I will offer a similar retort: 

Every year, thousands are killed by car accidents whether we are directly aware of it or not. I assume that in most cases, you and perhaps others may not know of someone who has been seriously injured in a car accident or died due to their injuries. However, it doesn't mean that car accidents do not happen, because they happen everyday even when we are not aware of it. This is simply to say, there is actual evidence that the virus has killed thousands of people, and it is still causing massive amounts of death everyday. Also, the virus is still infecting thousands daily. 

So, the question you ask is, "why do we still have to live like this?" The answer lies in the actual threat of the viral outbreak and the rise in new cases. 22 states are currently seeing a rise in new and confirmed cases. Then you have a rise in hospitalizations in some of those 22 states. The mistake is believe that the media is conjuring up numbers that are in some way "fake" or illegitimate. There are those who see Covid-19 as a hoax, but not realizing that there are actual cases of this virus still in circulation, and well documented evidence of those who have survived it. 

We are still tasked with protecting ourselves and others from community spread. However, the alternative is for individuals to act as if the virus does not exist and to live life as usual. To do so, it will only lead to a larger disaster, meaning closing businesses and states again, which will impact the U.S. as a whole more negatively. We all have a choice, to be vigilant or to exist in a state of unbelief. We don't have to like the negative impacts or the now shared responsibility we have, but it does exist, like it or not. 

I agree. It definitely is real and I know people who have got it. But most of them recover from it just like the flu. It's not a serious plague wiping out a large percentage of people. It's a rare virus with a low mortality rate. It's gonna kill who it's gonna kill, but it's hardly noticable to the rest of us. Can't shut down the world for something like this. 

Apparently, you don't work in a hospital. Read the statistics; they get updated every day. - - assuming you can read.