The US officially passes 1 million coronavirus deaths. The excess deaths stand at 1.12 million deaths according to the CDC.
Richard Epstein on March 16th, 2020 would pull out of his ass an estimate that there would only be 500 deaths in the US from the coronavirus. It would prove inaccurate in under a week. He would then revise it to 5,000 deaths. That too would prove inaccurate in under a week. He derided the epidemiological models suggesting we could see a million coronavirus deaths.
Epstein, despite no background in this subject, would get platformed at Reason Magazine to discuss his completely made up number. His essay would also circulate in the Trump White House during this time.
He would later give an absolutely unhinged interview to the New Yorker that has to be seen to be believed.