Aibu - so many missing economic cost to health

[Puzzle500]

Possibly going to get flamed...but there seem to be such a large sector of the population who are clear they won't send their children back to school, go back to work etc because of the risk of the virus. On a simple level, I understand that - but why can no one see that if we end up in huge economic decline the health impact and death impact will actually be higher? The future for children in poverty terrifies me

I live in a place with lots of seasonal jobs, second homes, coastal businesses etc, and the whole local population is "keep everyone away forever" - is it just me thinking they are unreasonable on one level as when this is gone, what on earth will they have jobs doing? The town will die.

I don’t know anyone enjoying furlough.

Because that makes sense, except for on MNs where apparently everyone on furlough and treating it like a holiday & all have young dc.

are not and

*It’s normal for a third of the British workforce to be employed by the State in some form, given our NHS etc. Plus pensioners on top. Probably together about 42-44%.

Thanks, so not a massive difference really.

Thanks @LaurieMarlow.

However, suddenly the whole issue has become massively politicised and everyone is taking potshots at invented stereotypes.

completely agree

Thanks, so not a massive difference really.

Nope. That’s why the right wing hardliners have to keep positing it as the 50% figure- to try to make it sound shocking.

This graph shows what industries have been furloughed. Unsurprisingly the higher numbers are those in industries where social distancing is harder & will take longer to recover

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/hotels-restaurants-and-pubs-have-furloughed-80-of-staff-ons-finds

Great post niteflights

Agreed.

@ArriettyJones and people fall for it.

Furlough is being wound up in July, so people will be expected back to work then.

The recession is going to kill more people than covid, by far. I’m all for safely getting the economy back up and running as soon as we can. The rich will weather the storm as always, but the people already suffering from 10 years of austerity, cuts and poverty are just going to get hit so hard. It’s unimaginable.

This graph shows what industries have been furloughed. Unsurprisingly the higher numbers are those in industries where social distancing is harder & will take longer to recover

Interesting. I can’t really imagine that hospitality and entertainment workers are lazy, as some are characterising the furloughed. Those are hard, on your feet jobs, in the main.

'Fear of the virus' my arse. If I had an uncomplicated life (no kids), my partner living with me & getting 100% salary for working from home I think I'd be 'too scared of the virus' too. That's been the whole problem with this since the onset, lockdown inequality.

I highly doubt the bma have raised serious concerns about the government's approach because they enjoy sitting on their arses or don't understand the economy.

Germany has seen the r number potentially rise back over 1, two weeks after starting to lift lockdown. We don't have a handle on community transmission so exponential growth means very very quickly the economy shutting down because too many people are ill and the death rate from all causes soaring as the NHS collapses.

What they said they were going to do, reopening the economy with a new normal and social distancing was a good plan. But they told people to go back to work today and not released any of the guidance in advance. There was nothing to say the return to school wouldn't be all 30 kids crammed back into a classroom. So we risk another lockdown or worse.

And again, cuts are neither inevitable or a good idea. Investment in the economy to increase income from taxes and ensure the nhs becomes fit for purpose again is a much better approach.

I don't think people realise the NHS is reliant on a half decent economy. I don't think they realise they might not have access to free health care if the economy goes to shit.

I think also people think furlough will carry on forever. It won't.

I wouldn't rather be dead than poor but my chances of being dead any time soon are much less than my chances of my child growing up poor.

Also I think I saw some statistics implying there were many more Corona deaths in poorer areas. I wonder why that is?

Poor areas have a shorter life expectancy too.

“We thought that young people were not affected by Covid-19,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are not so sure that is the fact any more.”

Financial Times yesterday on.ft.com/3fBgD11

I’m currently WFH but our company is being honest with us about their losses and the likelihood that some of us will loose our jobs in the coming months.
It’s scary to think how many people currently being furloughed and even working could loose their jobs :(

I think also people think furlough will carry on forever. It won't.

Who thinks this?

Absolutely niteflights

To many people are resentful of others for perceived unfairness without any empathy as to how scary it must be to not know if you will have a job to go back to.

Death rates for under 30s are lower right now than they are historically.

I know a few people who WFH running their own businesses. They think it's fine for lockdown to continue because they're still working pretty much as normal just different hours to fit in around having their children at home. Their income is currently largely unaffected.

Obviously what they fail to realise is once jobs start to be lost, or furlough payments stop, no one will have money to pay for their services...

The fear of a massive global recession continuing for years really worries me.

foggy half of my friends on FB certainly do. One woman who has a reception age child will not be sending her back until a vaccine. She's furloughed. I don't think it's occurred to her that she won't get paid to do nothing for years.

I am saying this as someone who is furloughed myself. I've hated every minute and I'm at risk of redundancy.

Loads of countries have imposed lockdown as a response to the coronavirus. It's not just British people being stupid and lazy. Restrictions are now easing so people are returning to work from today. It's clearly a very fine balancing act between getting things going again and preventing overwhelming numbers dying from the virus. Also, once again, for the fifty billionth time, it is NOT just the elderly and infirm dying. A baby died the other day. Healthy people have died. I know 2 very fit and healthy people in their 30s who ended up in intensive care. Not to mention, if numbers do spiral it will be anyone requiring medical treatment dying due to lack of doctors/nurses/beds/resources. No one is denying that the economy matters but just as you think people are underestimating the impact of a recession, I think you are underestimating the impact of letting the virus run unchecked.

I don't think people realise the NHS is reliant on a half decent economy. I don't think they realise they might not have access to free health care if the economy goes to shit.

Yes, this.

The effect on the NHS is a very good point. Also charities, they are already suffering because shops are closed etc, if they stop receiving donations because when people lose jobs they simply can't afford it, what will that mean for the services they provide, thinking particularly of hospice charities etc. It's scary.

I don't think people realise the NHS is reliant on a half decent economy. I don't think they realise they might not have access to free health care if the economy goes to shit.

Nobody in their right mind wants the “economy to go to shit”, the NHS to flounder, OR to be poor.