Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lloyd Braun
I have bad news for you... the economy and pandemics are not good partners regardless of mitigation, models, infection rates. If you question whether this is a serious disease or worthy of pandemic status there is not really much to discuss on an economic front. Nobody’s economy is doing well right now and weighing human life vs economic health is going to be an ongoing debate on the value of each.
Correct, this would have profound economic impacts regardless. The lockdowns just made it worse.
As to the debate, the virus is here and people are going to die from it regardless (just like we'll have economic damage regardless). I'll error on the side of human life every time, as I believe almost everyone would. Recall when this started in mid-March very few folks felt the measures were a bad idea, recognizing our social obligation is to prevent unnecessary deaths by overwhelming the medical system.
As to the value of human life though, it is much more than just drawing air. Every time we forbid someone from earning a living, seeing relatives, holding a wedding with friends/family, attending a funeral of a loved one, going to the beach, going out to eat, attending a concert, holding sporting events... whatever people enjoy, we are degrading the quality of human life. The is the true center of the debate.