I noted yesterday the problems that might arise if people were not compensated for self-isolating to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Then I saw that Hong Kong Shares my opinion and has put aside billions at least in part for this purpose. As the Hong Kong Free Press (whose claim to that title I cannot judge) has reported:
The Hong Kong government has set up a HK$25 billion fund to alleviate economic hardships resulting from the coronavirus outbreak.
At a press conference on Friday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam unveiled subsidies to support the public health sector, the underprivileged and industries affected most by the SARS-like disease. The electronic monitoring systems for those under home-quarantine will be upgraded, whilst 200,000 low-income families will benefit from grants of HK$5,000. Students, meanwhile, will be eligible for grants of HK$2,500 to HK$3,500.
There are many reasons to be concerned about the state of government and governance in Hong Kong, but this is innovative thinking.
Other governments will need to take note.
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Carrie Lam has plenty of critics, but she has done this. With over HK$1 trillion of reserves, the government can afford it.
Hong Kong Free Press is worthy of its name. It relies on crowdfunding.
Thanks Ralph
What are the chances of the DWP actually managing any such scheme, even if some fine words are issued? Even now, some official will be working on a 50 page form which will only be available at local offices.
“What are the chances of the DWP actually managing any such scheme,….”
Well below zero I’d guess. If the capability is there, (which it almost certainly is) the will won’t be.
We may be close to a global, killer pandemic. Compensation shouldn’t come into it. You would think people would be morally bound to self-isolate knowing the cost of not doing so could be the death of fellow citizens.
Oh, and not feed their children?
Get real….
That’s a bit overly dramatic. Do you honestly think people would knowingly spread a virus that could kill someone because they fear they may not be able to source an alternative way of feeding their children while they are in isolation for 14 days?
In my real world I don’t see starvation coming from 14 days of isolation.
You clearly aren’t aware of how little resource most people have and how desperate parents are to feed their children
40 percent of the working age population have total savings of less than £100 which is wholly inadequate to finance all other outgoings as well as food that they would still incur, when self isolating for the 14 day period, without any income.
Precisely….
Latest indicators from China indicate the following risk of death by agre group from Coronavirus infection. Up to 10 years 0, 10 to 39 years 0.2%, 40 to 49 0.4%, 50 to 59 1.3%, 60 to 69 3.6%, 70 to 79 8%, 80+ 14.8%.
Given the low risks to families with children, Richard is right. People will try to work through this if at all possible, while staying away from grandma.
What is weird is that children are quite vulnerable to respiratory disease and yet are not being killed by this virus
I discussed this with a paediatrician and they did not understand this: it made no sense to them
“…I discussed this with a paediatrician and they did not understand this: it made no sense to them…”
Coronovirus Thunbergii….(?) Tinfoil hats at the ready….
The age /fatality stats don’t necessarily rule out younger people carrying and spreading the infection. Perhaps not so much a case of staying away from grandma as granny not letting us anywhere near ? ….or being at higher risk if she’s around baling out the family……but it’s early days and presumably things will become clearer.
It was reassuring to see a spokesperson from the WHO dishing high praise for the Chinese authorities’ handling of the outbreak there, as a counterpoint to all the China-bashing that has been flying round social media. I don’t think anybody has actually come out and Blamed the SNP yet….
Yet…
You clearly are out of touch if you honestly believe a parent would knowingly spread a virus that could kill someone when at the same time know they are unlikely to starve if they don’t get to work for 14 days. If Government doesn’t step in with support, then society will step in as it does now (food banks being an example). To suggest otherwise, as you do, is just not credible.
With respect, I am in touch and you clearly come from a privileged position and have no comprehension of the financial stress most people live with
We will agree to disagree.
You have no right to make a statement about the position I come from less still to assume it is one of privileged. You don’t know me or anything about my circumstances. People without privileged still have enough common sense to see through your vacuous argument.
The virus will spread through ignorance, people with symptoms will self-isolate, no one, privileged or otherwise, will starve to death because of 14 day self-isolation .
You give me ample evidence to conclude you are:
A) Male
B) Childless
C) Well off
D) Probably in finance
E) May have an MBA
It does not take a genius to work that out
Sigi, people can only use a food bank if they have a referral from a professional e.g. GP, police, social care. They have to present this when the food bank is open (our big, busy local one is open twice a week thanks to volunteers) and they will be given enough food for three days for their household. They can do this once every three months, at least that is the rule in my area. Not much use to a self-isolating household.
Thanks
Sigi
I think you are completely wrong. Nice idea, but cloud cuckoo land. We’ve had four decades of top down conditioning to break the habits of well-socialised behaviour. It has been widely successful. 🙁
If a person suspecting they have an infectious disease cannot rely on their income being maintained either by sick pay from their employer or from government most will go to work. At least until they are too ill to work.
And then there’s the rafts of the self employed…….. and the unemployed who are required to sign-on….. even before there is a crisis we are sanctioning claimants and leaving them with nothing to live on.
The Government will take responsibility for preparing properly for a major epidemic here or there will be widespread chaos (in the event that it it does become an epidemic). Just at present how many people would have to self-isolate in a home under water ? Many of those homes will not be fit for habitation for many months.
I’m expecting with every news bulletin to hear some Tory government spokesperson tell me just what a marvellous opportunity the flooding has been for people to pull together and help each other out.
Agreed Andy
Surely the virus has been spread by those who are in the ‘privileged’ position of being able to jet around the world, have a damn side more money than most and should therefore bear any opprobrium going. It should not be the person in an insecure job, maybe on a zero hour contract and struggling from week to week to make ends meet that compromises their own health and their work colleagues because they cannot make ends meet by going into self isolation and therefore should suffer that opprobrium instead.
The government should take responsibility as it is part of their moral and legal duty to maintain a welfare state and protect its citizens. It should not be at the whim of charitable giving that people have to rely on the giving of others to subsist in financial hardship and be able to survive.
Maybe if we had a government which cared about its citizens, gave them the opportunities to develop their own financial resilience rather see them as a resource to be scammed, skimmed and depleted by others then self reliance as a policy would have a degree of validity.
I note that new legislation means from May 20th all adults will be assumed to have granted permission for their organs to be used after death unless indicated otherwise. Timely, eh?
The French government said last night that a fortnight pay will be guaranteed in case of need to self-quarantine, or in case of quarantine demanded by the designated emergency services. Money set aside in the Social Security budget.
France has just under 40 declared cases, and two deaths to date.
Many large businesses in La Defence (the Parisian Canary Wharf equivalent) have been told to work from home.
Still very relaxed about checking people arriving by trains-ferries-road-flights though from worst affected area though…one of which is very close, with a land border.
Trust France to get it right ….