When faced by the threat of a mythical monster, we ask our historians and our priests how we should deal with it. When it comes to a plague, we ask our medical scientists for advice. That’s what our governments did when the Corona raised its horrible head.
Now doctors think in scientific terms and they rarely pronounce unless the numbers are compelling.
Like most husbands accept everything a nurse, midwife or doctor tells them about childbirth, so politicians accept everything medicos tell them about plagues and how to handle them. After all this is about life and death, lots of it.
The medical advice, almost unequivocal, was that citizens keep isolated and to close places where people gather including workplaces. Notwithstanding the cost to the Fiscus, individuals and businesses this was the most effective way to ensure that the most vulnerable were protected. Strong, unquestioned politicians implemented this swiftly and citizens complied with few exceptions.
My thought was a lazy what if? What if the most vulnerable were not especially protected and died? These would mainly be the infirm and the aged – the people who place proportionally higher demands for costly care on society, few of whom are productive. In New Zealand to date, the youngest person to die from the disease is 62.
What if the politicos did the Swedish thing and said to the electorate: This is on you – take appropriate measures to avoid contagion, we are not going to require specific actions.
So maybe quite a few more people than usual die, but the economy is not that badly affected and fewer people are driven to despair by isolation, job loss and fear of penalty for failing to comply.
In my mind and I am close in age to being on the Corovid red list, the latter is the sounder decision. I would go further and suggest the intensive care should only be afforded to under 70 year olds.
I would vote for a politician that made those sort of decisions, but then I have always believed the interests of the majority trump those of the individual.
That is not politic these days!
sillysocksonfriday 
Boy, are you going to get flamed for this!! I’ve risen to the bait immediately.
It’s the retirees that are the backbone of volunteer organisations, who mind the grandchildren, do school reading, teach scripture in schools – the list goes on.
If my octogenarian husband carked it, the NSW Freemason magazine would have no editor, a cluster of Legacy widows would lose their contact man, the organisation putting scripture teachers into local high schools would lose its chairman, the local community radio station would lose a presenter and part of the accounts team. I could go on.
Eat your words, Mr Manquindi!
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Thank you – I love a passionate response. I believe the (hypothetical) trade-off may be worth it: the economic damage and psychological despair for the younger, not so experienced , not so wealthy people is in my mind far greater.
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Did you read this one Just Another Day https://wp.me/p6Zoyq-1h32l
– a fantasy story which raises the idea of a compulsory Euthanasia Day?
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People like us, and probably you, are well able to take care of ourselves.
Woolies delivers our groceries; all meetings – work or social – are done on line, we feel more in touch with the world than ever before.
The point of the lockdowns is not specifically to protect the elderly but to protect everyone by flattening the curve.
But pity the poor people that are locked up in old age homes…
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Hi Manqindi I agree we should all follow the Swedish route. Let people make their own decisions. It should be survival of the fittest
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Bob, would you care to define ‘fittest’?
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Didn’t Charles Darwin do it some time ago?
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Yes, fit to pass on the genes. Was there comment on how fit those genes were to be passed on?
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Pukus not able to define “fittest” . Been thinking how to for days. When I think of one definition another comes up and I change my mind. Natural selection, overpopulation, nature controlling population, not who can afford, save poor, no wealthy, no royalty, no politicians . humans possibly none should be included in fittest???? Humankind fair to all could we trust humankind? Thanks you made me think about how to define “fittest”.
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ouch!
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I have observed that the maturity of a civilisation can be measured by how they care for their elderly. Lets be thankful we live in a highly civilised country! I think the bigger long term problem is population growth and the reticence of politicians throughout the world to tackle this subject. Its not a vote catching subject
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When hard choices have to be made about where to spend limited resources, I hope that priority is placed on those who still have most of their lives to live, rather than those who have lived most of their lives.
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The hypothetical example I was going to use: who would get the ventilator, the American president or Stephen Hawking?
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sadly the one who would should not – that is the essence of politics.
Note to Bob: Pookus has not commented on this conversation – Rosemary (Buggy Long) is also an ex Piggs Peak resident from the 50’s and 60’s. You were a contemporary of Dave Long
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Indeed. One of the reasons we are being so careful about keeping ourselves out of the current equation
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Oops Sorry Rosemary. In Piggs Peak nickname was Tinker not Bob.
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Bob/Tinker – I neglected to answer you at the time about your true identity! Nice to hear from you. There was a photo on the St Marks website recently featuring you. You are the Connolly that had blond hair in those days?
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Hi Rosemary excuse late reply. We have not had internet for a while. That’s right the blonde one. Was in the same class as David at Piggs Peak .
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Bugger that for an idea. I spent 65 years getting to where I am now. House paid off, time to fly fish, can afford decent Whisky and Whiskey. I am not the one causing population explosion or air pollution driving to work and back. I’m going to get the vaccine as soon as it is available and to hell with the under 40’s.
My tuppence worth.
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