CORONAVIRUS PANIC WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE

[Poopadoop]

The crazy thing is that if this happened, it could possibly be that you could say goodbye to most people having jobs or being able to get jobs once the six months is up.

Yeah I doubt that.

Say someone works in a factory making aircraft parts for Boeing. They have no work now because there's no demand. If things go back to normal in six months, they'll have a job again the next day. So will travel agents, pilots, airport staff, etc. etc. etc. The jobs are not going to disappear forever.

[OngBonga]

Yeah I doubt that.

Say someone works in a factory making aircraft parts for Boeing. They have no work now because there's no demand. If things go back to normal in six months, they'll have a job again the next day. So will travel agents, pilots, airport staff, etc. etc. etc. The jobs are not going to disappear forever.

Some people will have jobs to walk back into, some won't. But this talk of "six months" is overblown. That's how long we can expect there to be restrictions, not a total lockdown. Those who have recovered should be allowed to go back to work if they can. Certain sectors of the economy, and regions free of the virus, will likely be back up and running before six months.

However long this goes on, jobs have already been lost forever. Some businesses will be able to just get back up and running, maybe even most if the financial support is there, but a Boeing employee is not the best example to give. How about all the independent businesses in your town? The hairdressers, the gift shop, the van hire company, the garden centre... some businesses will go bust, never to return. Those with huge revenue will be fine, they will either have the capital to ride this out, or will get the credit they need. Boeing will be fine, but Ludlow Garden Centre might not be.

[Poopadoop]

How about all the independent businesses in your town? The hairdressers, the gift shop, the van hire company, the garden centre... some businesses will go bust, never to return. Those with huge revenue will be fine, they will either have the capital to ride this out, or will get the credit they need. Boeing will be fine, but Ludlow Garden Centre might not be.

Err, do you think no-one will want a haircut after this is over? Or to hire a van, or buy a lawnmower?

Yes, these businesses will suffer, there's no doubt about it. But, as soon as the restrictions are lifted, the demand will be back, and probably stronger. And in the meantime, their overhead for the most part will be zero, unless they're paying rent. In that case, the gov't will likely have to step in.

But I seriously doubt that there's going to be mass unemployment after it's all over. It just won't happen.

[Poopadoop]

As a parallel, the Spanish Flu, which was much worse than this, had a much smaller economic impact than the world war which immediately preceded it. There was no worldwide economic collapse or mass unemployment.

[CoccoBill]

As a parallel, the Spanish Flu, which was much worse than this, had a much smaller economic impact than the world war which immediately preceded it. There was no worldwide economic collapse or mass unemployment.

That's largely because that time we didn't know how to fight it and we didn't shut down the economy by lockdowns. Also the economy probably worked a bit differently back then too, with less speculative stock market actions causing companies to lose equity and be forced by shareholders to lay off people, for example.

[Poopadoop]

That's largely because that time we didn't know how to fight it and we didn't shut down the economy by lockdowns. Also the economy probably worked a bit differently back then too, with less speculative stock market actions causing companies to lose equity and be forced by shareholders to lay off people, for example.

Yeah I mean it's not really a good comparison. There were two peaks of fatalities from SF around age 18 and age 45. So these, coupled with the WW, contributed to a huge labour shortage that hurt the economy in a different way.

There is evidence, however, that people tended to self-distance during this, especially as it became clear that it was transmitted person-to-person.

[Poopadoop]

Regarding immunity, your respiratory system, just like the rest of your body, is constantly housing different viruses, including rhinoviruses and corona-type viruses. We only get sick when conditions allow these to multiply out of control. It's perfectly possible to get low-grade CV-19, for example, and not be sick. So getting your rest, exercising, eating healthy foods, etc.., is a good way to protect yourself if you do get exposed (which of course you should try to avoid as much as possible).

[Poopadoop]

Not-so-fun fact: My great-grandfather died of SF in 1918. He was a farmer in his early 40s and healthy at the time he caught it.