I've been reading the experiences of those who've had the chinkyflu

[Pat Vegas]

and recovered, and I'm calling it now: I had this in the first week of December.

Symptoms, timing, recovery, everything identical. Yes, I know that's too early, but I'm telling you, I HAD IT.

If you wish to buy a drop of my immuneoblood, see my agent.

I'd say it's been around longer than they think and loads of people have had it. And then we'll find out this drama was all a waste of time.

[Pokster]

:sigh: No, p. No deaths are 'OK'. But the fact is that profoundly distasteful calculations have to be made in situations like this. And one of those calculations is what the long-term cost in lives and livelihoods will be of bringing the global economy to a virtual standstill for an indefinite period. We have to make a judgement about which is the lesser of two evils here.

Economy is the lesser of 2 evils,

[Pat Vegas]

I'm still wondering if this isn't a huge overreaction, to be honest. At the moment we seem to be proceeding on the basis that something that might kill half a million of - let's be brutal - our less productive people is worth tanking our entire economy for.
That's admirably humane of us in the short term, but I'm not convinced it's actually very sensible in a macro, long-term sense.

Unless, of course, it's potentially worse than they're letting on.

I will miss my 2 big monitors though. I am going to steal them.

[Monty92]

250k was in this country, the economy going down the pan wouldn't kill 250k in the UK

Globally it is millions, so would you be happy with that?

Err, many critics of the Tories like to claim that "10 years of austerity" has killed hundreds of thousands in the UK. And that level of austerity is likely to be dwarfed as a result of this malarky.

[Pat Vegas]

Economy is the lesser of 2 evils,

But will the current measures actually fix the situation. or just prolong it indefinately?

[Burney]

250k was in this country, the economy going down the pan wouldn't kill 250k in the UK

Globally it is millions, so would you be happy with that?

Please stop trying to frame it as though people making a rational calculation are 'happy' for people to die. It's cheap and unfair.

[Burney]

Economy is the lesser of 2 evils,

Well I'm glad that you're so certain. I wish I could be.

[Burney]

Err, many critics of the Tories like to claim that "10 years of austerity" has killed hundreds of thousands in the UK. And that level of austerity is likely to be dwarfed as a result of this malarky.

Don't forget to add in the cost of the damage to the fabric of society, breakdowns in law and order, etc that we're already starting to see.

[barrybueno]

That's all very touching, b, but the fact is that you can't separate people and money as if one had nothing to do with the other. It's like trying to separate blood and organs.

Deprioritising money will have a savage negative effect on people as they lose jobs, homes, businesses, etc. That means less tax income and less effective public services, which means - you guessed it - more dead people.

To be honest, my more cynical view is that in these days of instant communications, social media, cameraphones, etc, it's not politically possible for a government to be seen to preside over large numbers of deaths in the short term without being seen to do apparently radical things to try and prevent them - even if it what they do is massively harmful in the longer term.

I think that financial ship may have already sailed tbh, not sure we'll get the green light to all go back to normal anytime soon. We're looking at a world recession (again) maybe we won't come back from this one.

Glad I'm not part of the government, the economy v peoples lives, damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Monty92]

Don't forget to add in the cost of the damage to the fabric of society, breakdowns in law and order, etc that we're already starting to see.

Natch.

But have we seen breakdowns in law and order yet? We're not eve in lockdown yet!