Cost Of Lockdown Not Worth Lives Saved

[Hymie]

This study claims that the lockdown has not been worth the economic cost.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8555171/The-cost-lockdown-Britains-economy-not-worth-lives-saved-study-claims.html

If only we had had some visionary, who at the start of all this could have predicted this – how much loss to the economy we could have prevented.

Of course such a person would have had to have a brilliant mind to see the consequences that no one else foresaw – but undoubted if they posted their ideas on social media sites (such as AB) they would have been ridiculed by others and had their posts deleted by moderators.

If only we were lucky enough such a have such a person amongst us, we should all bow-down and pay homage to them.

Hey, wait a minute – didn’t this guy post exactly that, back in March of this year?

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1703112.html
See the post timed at 21:38 on 13 April in this post – Wow!!!!

[Hymie]

Modesty prevented me from mentioning that the genius who had posted back in March, was some guy with the moniker ‘Hymie’.

[iluvmargie]

'All over the top, the mask thing is now ludicrous'. Of course it is. I have never worn one in the four months of lockdown and shopped at supermarkets in all that time - no mask on the 23rd, mask on the 24th! Ludicrous is right. And, I have never seen Sainsbury's so empty for a Friday.

[naomi24]

Jim, //I'm still left wondering if an economy that, in essence, relies on staying open in a way that leads to a lot of people dying is an economy worth saving.

Still, here's a thought: why not try to explain what's flawed about this way of thinking for a change?//

This isn’t the first time you’ve said the current system is at fault but it’s impossible to explain the flaws in your way of thinking when no one knows what your alternative would be. I have asked you before but you’ve yet to explain it.

[davebro]

I bought my paper today with a mask on for the first time. Hate wearing one, will avoid shopping as much as possible in future. Good way to revive retail (not).

[iluvmargie]

^ Like I said yesterday, I've never seen Sainsbury's so empty for a Friday.

[ichkeria]

I don’t want to dim your glow of self satisfaction too much Hymie, but as I posted before, one hardly needed to be a genius to see that there was going to be a massive hit to the economy caused by a lockdown
The “is it worth it” argument is a lot less straightforward. There are factors to take into account which are beyond pure economics. And I say that as someone who broadly agrees that the cost probably has been too high.
But there was no way a government at the time was ever going to come out and say “well we have a serious health issue here which is going to kill thousands and bring as yet unknown health issues to many more. But if we do anything really serious to stop it it’ll cost too much, so kiss your granny goodbye”
Effectively.
The reason I posted the stuff about Sweden earlier tho is because here was a government which is not a dictatorship, like N Korea, Belarus or Turkmenistan, but which decided to take a more laidback approach and suffered a lot as a result early on. However are they really any worse off at this stage? Opinion is divided it seems.

[Bobbisox1]

I am thinking that this compulsory mask thing will work against the economy not for it, people are claustrophobic wearing them for long periods, my friend is, she feels she's choking, as ILM says,Sainsbury's empty on a Friday, a day when stores are normally busier, I think folk are staying away because of the ruling

[dannyk13]

So how much is a life worth then?

[naomi24]

With the resultant delays in diagnosis/treatment for non-Covid related conditions, you may as well ask why one life is worth more than another, danny.

[davebro]

"So how much is a life worth then?"

Not much. Someone dies, the world carries on pretty much as normal.

[dannyk13]

Save, so you think that your life is worthless then?

[diddlydo]

I totally agree about the masks issue. I've just done my first masked shop and couldn't wait to get out - steamed up glasses, couldn't breathe, ridiculously hot. I certainly won't be doing any random shopping/browsing anywhere, nor will I be using public transport whereas I was rather looking forward to using my bus pass again.

[dannyk13]

^ Dave, not save^ Doh.,

[davebro]

"Save, so you think that your life is worthless then?"

Pretty much in any tangible terms. The world is grossly overpopulated,
incurable pandemics that take out predominantly the old and the sick may be nature's way of controlling our excesses. (I am quite old & a bit sick)

[Peter Pedant]

// you may as well ask why one life is worth more than another, danny.//

luckily the doctors dont do any of this stupidity I can reassure punters
measuring worth of life - hence the doubt about QALYs see above
they do discuss futile treatment ( = dont or wont work) which is not really the point here but cd be

[naomi24]

^You're not qualified to reassure anyone about anything. The last time you blathered on about diagnosis and treatment being delayed your advice was irresponsible and dangerous.

[Peter Pedant]

yes sweet one
( wh case was that ?)

[jim360]

// I have asked you before but you’ve yet to explain [what your alternative economic model would be]. //

It's a fair question and I wish I could come up with a more detailed answer than the vagueness I've offered so far. On the other hand, it's possible to understand what is *wrong* with something without knowing how to put it *right*. As far as I'm concerned, an economy that, when faced with a health crisis such as this, is forced to choose between either imploding because it pauses for a couple of months and letting people die in large numbers is not fit for purpose. I don't believe that there isn't a middle ground possible, although I confess I haven't the vision required to describe that.

[naomi24]

Jim, Perhaps when you do have the vision to describe what you’re talking about, then will be the time to ask other people to describe the flaws in it. As it is it's impossible to know what you're talking about.

[Peter Pedant]

// then will be the time to ask other people to describe the flaws in it. //

no I think he is describing flaws in the current system, ( a system ) which everyone knows
so he doesnt need to describe Plan B - the alternative - and then ask the great thinkers on AB what is wrong with it-

I am reminded of a situation when my hoover went wrong and I said "my hoover is wrong"
and a neighbour - kind caring and articulate - said "ah no - unless you can describe what is wrong with the hoover and where you can get a replacement, it doesnt count as wrong"

just saying - in order to ease an impasse in the discussion