In my opinion, it's better to be overly cautious than under-cautious concerning the virus since, as far as I know, there's no sure-fire way to tell who will or will not actually end up dying from it. I've read about people, young and older, who were in good health and with no underlying issues inexplicably dying from it. Yes, it's rare that that happens -- thank goodness! -- but it does happen. So when some folks think the virus is being, as you say, "politically militarized," I'm thinking, "Thank goodness there are people pounding it into everyone's minds that there are simple things I can do to help prevent my ever getting it since there's no way of knowing whether or not I'll be one of those rare, shocking deaths from it."
On the flip-side, I've also read about people who you'd think might die from it given all the pre-existing conditions they had, or their advanced age, etc., making it through it like champs. What makes it worth taking extra precautions is that no-one knows yet why there are exceptions to the rule. Would I be one of the lucky people who barely even notice they'd had it? Or would I be one of the unlucky ones who inexplicably died? I, for one, don't want to find out.