Proportionality and Uncertainty in Physical Distancing Policies in US States

Abstract Many claim that public health interventions are morally justified only if they satisfy the proportionality condition. Satisfying this condition requires showing that the public health benefits of the policy outweigh the general moral considerations that count against such policies. This chapter presents a consideration of what it would look like to apply the proportionality condition to physical distancing policies in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. A few distinct forms of uncertainty are identified that complicate applications of the proportionality condition to such policies. Indeed, these distinct forms of uncertainty make it quite difficult, if not entirely unfeasible, to fruitfully apply the proportionality condition. Before concluding, this chapter includes a brief consideration of the implications of these difficulties that arise from uncertainty.