How Is Covid-19 Impacting Life in Your City?

[10023]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

You're asking the wrong question. The question you should be asking is why isn't it as easy to test yourself for other contagious viruses as it is to test yourself for COVID? If I had a quick and easy way to test myself for the flu or common cold virus before I went and infected a bunch of other people, I would do that.

This would cost money (regardless of whether it was out of pocket, or part of your tax burden or insurance premium), and that cost would be unjustified and wasteful.

We actually don’t need to know whether people are asymptomatic carriers of mild diseases, and the whole testing program is at this point simply a profit driver for diagnostics providers.

[the urban politician]

I don't see any reason why most people need to test themselves for common respiratory viruses at home. What difference does it make? You still have to rest, take decongestants, perhaps keep a distance from others, and wait for your immune system to take care of the problem.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by 10023

This would cost money (regardless of whether it was out of pocket, or part of your tax burden or insurance premium), and that cost would be unjustified and wasteful.

We actually don’t need to know whether people are asymptomatic carriers of mild diseases, and the whole testing program is at this point simply a profit driver for diagnostics providers.

Well, people actually do die from influenza, not to mention the productivity losses from people missing work due to illness. If we had a way to minimize outbreaks of even mild illnesses, the economic efficiency gains should make it worthwhile.

[10023]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Well, people actually do die from influenza, not to mention the productivity losses from people missing work due to illness. If we had a way to minimize outbreaks of even mild illnesses, the economic efficiency gains should make it worthwhile.

I disagree with this. That would only be true if this “way to minimize outbreaks” didn’t have costs, economic or otherwise, of its own.

Wearing a mask on public transportation and in all crowded indoor spaces forever would not be worth, even if US flu deaths could be cut by 90%. Not even close.

[10023]

Interesting study on WFH preferences here in the UK. It seems that since people have started going back to the office, preference for working from home has increased. :haha

https://www.ft.com/content/9d481954-...3-608ce316eca2

As the article points out, it will be interesting to see what happens in a less favourable economic environment and labor market when employees have less leverage.