ask if the rise in Covid is being fuelled by the working poor?

Wantubackforgood · 2021-01-12T01:37:30+00:00

It seems to me that there must be millions of low paid workers who are not in receipt of benefits (to trigger the £500 one off payment) and are working in jobs where only SSP is paid during self isolation/sickness. They simply cannot afford to take the cut in income so carry on going to work .

popNlock · 12/01/2021 01:41

There will also be some high paid 'important people' golfing and socialising. I seen a bit of that lately.

popNlock · 12/01/2021 01:41

I've seen*

Emeraldshamrock · 12/01/2021 01:58

It is part of it.
I know of family members of a positive case still going to work rather than go through the faff of testing and loss of earnings.
I'm sure many are in this situation.
DP is working with the public if he gets ill it will have a knock on financial affect but he can't wfh.

Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum · 12/01/2021 02:01

It is one of many reasons yes.

JamJamMum · 12/01/2021 02:49

Instead of blaming the poor... we should turn our gaze to the wealthy who are travelling during this pandemic and seeding the virus to the farthest corners of the world.

There’s a fight on Fleur du Force’s Instagram page at the moment because she jetted off to Dubai on Boxing Day (potentially against the letter or spirit of the rules).

Her husband’s the CEO of Available Car and, even though the family are multi-millionaires with every material advantage and the ability to hide from the pandemic, it wasn’t enough. They’ve come out into storm and taken the risk of spreading the new strain... for the sake of a holiday!

I’m angrier with people like them. They had a choice. Low paid workers don’t.

Sinful8 · 12/01/2021 02:51

@popNlock

There will also be some high paid 'important people' golfing and socialising. I seen a bit of that lately.

True I find it so hard to maintain 2m distance these days because of all the rich bastards playing golf and quaffing champagne all over the place.

mygenericusername · 12/01/2021 02:59

People who are sneaking for a cup of tea round their mums because they can’t bear not to see them is fuelling the fire.

A COVID ward matron I know is regularly sneaking into her mothers house. They’re then wondering around tescos like they’ve done nothing wrong.

It pisses me off. They’re just twats. Incidentally I only know 6 people that have had Covid. A couple who saw all of their kids over Christmas are currently not terribly unwell, a nurse who keeps her horse in my yard, her husband and the aforementioned twats.

Stripesnomore · 12/01/2021 03:06

I suppose I am the working poor and I think I am more likely to spread it due to travelling to and from work on public transport and through living in over crowded housing with other people who have to work outside the home and interact with the public.

yawnsvillex · 12/01/2021 03:06

@mygenericusername

People who are sneaking for a cup of tea round their mums because they can’t bear not to see them is fuelling the fire.

A COVID ward matron I know is regularly sneaking into her mothers house. They’re then wondering around tescos like they’ve done nothing wrong.

It pisses me off. They’re just twats. Incidentally I only know 6 people that have had Covid. A couple who saw all of their kids over Christmas are currently not terribly unwell, a nurse who keeps her horse in my yard, her husband and the aforementioned twats.

Twats because they want to see their Mum?

Wow .....

Sinful8 · 12/01/2021 03:09

@mygenericusername

People who are sneaking for a cup of tea round their mums because they can’t bear not to see them is fuelling the fire.

A COVID ward matron I know is regularly sneaking into her mothers house. They’re then wondering around tescos like they’ve done nothing wrong.

It pisses me off. They’re just twats. Incidentally I only know 6 people that have had Covid. A couple who saw all of their kids over Christmas are currently not terribly unwell, a nurse who keeps her horse in my yard, her husband and the aforementioned twats.

Why do the nutters always have horses?

MercyBooth · 12/01/2021 03:14

@JamJamMum

order-order.com/2021/01/10/finally-piersmorgan-confesses-he-went-to-antigua-for-christmas-ignoring-government-advice-to-only-travel-if-it-is-essential/

ireallyamthewalrus · 12/01/2021 03:15

@yawnsvillex I think the poster means that doing it is the issue, not merely wanting to.

Gingerkittykat · 12/01/2021 03:57

Yes, I agree. I remember reading that some of the highest rates of Covid were amongst transport and supermarket workers. There have been several outbreaks in care homes, with residents and low paid carers affected.

I'm not blaming the poor as a PP mentioned, I wish we could do more to protect the people who need to go out and work right now.

How does the £500 payment work? Is it just people on benefits who get it?

ilovesooty · 12/01/2021 04:05

[quote ireallyamthewalrus]@yawnsvillex I think the poster means that doing it is the issue, not merely wanting to.[/quote]
Exactly. I'd have thought anyone with a modicum of sense would have understood that.

ChestnutStuffing · 12/01/2021 04:09

@JamJamMum

Instead of blaming the poor... we should turn our gaze to the wealthy who are travelling during this pandemic and seeding the virus to the farthest corners of the world.

There’s a fight on Fleur du Force’s Instagram page at the moment because she jetted off to Dubai on Boxing Day (potentially against the letter or spirit of the rules).

Her husband’s the CEO of Available Car and, even though the family are multi-millionaires with every material advantage and the ability to hide from the pandemic, it wasn’t enough. They’ve come out into storm and taken the risk of spreading the new strain... for the sake of a holiday!

I’m angrier with people like them. They had a choice. Low paid workers don’t.

Who said anything about blame?

Talking about how a virus spreads is not blaming anyone. It's a virus, its going to spread. People doing their jobs is one way, it doesn't make them somehow morally suspect.

cabbageking · 12/01/2021 04:16

More likely to be foolish, irresponsible people than any one class or type I would imagine?

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 12/01/2021 04:23

I'd hardly call someone wanting to visit their mum who could well be lonely and vulnerable a twat @mygenericusername. That's a bit of a beyond the joke reaction isn't it.
How about the Government for not closing the boarders. A certain millionaire tv presenter jetting off on holiday while telling us to stay at home and a certain councillor barking out the same order from their holiday in the Maldives. I take it their also to use your word "twats or are their set of rules better than everyone else's.

Peppafrig · 12/01/2021 04:26

I think it’s being fueled by those who can’t work from home such as construction workers. I myself am traveling from my very high prevalence area to a very low prevalence area daily. To get to a site.

Maudythebudgie · 12/01/2021 04:49

It started with the wealthy and the poor will now bear the brunt of it. Their outcomes will be much worse for the poor too. Health and economically speaking. it is a deeply inequitable society we live in.

BooksAreNotEssentialInWales · 12/01/2021 04:58

As sitting at home and getting foods and goods brought to us then the biggest risk as been transferred to people on minimum wage.

BooksAreNotEssentialInWales · 12/01/2021 05:00

Posted too soon
As sitting at home and having food and goods brought to us is now official government policy then we have transferred the biggest risk to people on minimum wage.

Belledan1 · 12/01/2021 05:04

Good job these "working poor" people go to work isn't it OP as for example you would have no one to put food out on the shelves and serve you and lots of people who need looking after would be just be left to fend for themselves. I have family members who do both and the way you phrased it is very insulting. I do get what you mean that people who dont get full sick pay may still go to work if got symptoms as worried re money but "working poor" is a horrible phrase.

CallItLoneliness · 12/01/2021 05:21

In Australia, early spread was all from wealthy returned travellers. Later spread (in VIC at least) has been predominantly in crowded housing where people were facing serious hardship if they were not able to work. Out of home quarantine was made available (but not compulsory), and people with no paid leave were given test leave and more paid leave if they tested positive. It made a large difference to our numbers. Not doing this would have been class warfare; people should not have their health sacrificed to their financial situation.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 12/01/2021 05:30

That's not the fault of the working poor. It's the fault of the government. Everyone under a certain wage should be paid to isolate, not just those in receipt of UC.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 12/01/2021 05:31

@Gingerkittykat

Yes, I agree. I remember reading that some of the highest rates of Covid were amongst transport and supermarket workers. There have been several outbreaks in care homes, with residents and low paid carers affected.

I'm not blaming the poor as a PP mentioned, I wish we could do more to protect the people who need to go out and work right now.

How does the £500 payment work? Is it just people on benefits who get it?

It's for people who work and receive top up benefits, a single mum getting working tax credits for example.