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Responses to objections to paying people £500 to self-isolate: a short thread #Covid19UK
1/5 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/22/proposal-to-pay-500-to-those-who-test-positive-for-covid-splits-opinion
1/5 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/22/proposal-to-pay-500-to-those-who-test-positive-for-covid-splits-opinion
2/5
Objection 1: Cost. The scheme is estimated to cost £453M per week
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/21/ministers-ponder-paying-500-to-all-with-covid-in-england
But that is less than the cost of pandemic based on current failed approaches https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52663523
And easily worth it to save 1000 deaths a day
Objection 1: Cost. The scheme is estimated to cost £453M per week
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/21/ministers-ponder-paying-500-to-all-with-covid-in-england
But that is less than the cost of pandemic based on current failed approaches https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52663523
And easily worth it to save 1000 deaths a day
3/5
Objection 2: perverse incentives
There is evidence from other schemes that some people might deliberately infect themselves: https://smw.ch/article/doi/smw.2020.20398
BUT this small possibility should be weighed against what we know is happening *now* - insufficient self-isolation (~19%)
Objection 2: perverse incentives
There is evidence from other schemes that some people might deliberately infect themselves: https://smw.ch/article/doi/smw.2020.20398
BUT this small possibility should be weighed against what we know is happening *now* - insufficient self-isolation (~19%)
4/5
Objection 3: £500 is not enough for low-income people, especially. with larger families.
This is true. To be successful, the money should fully compensate. The £500 one-off payment is less than the average wage.
Objection 3: £500 is not enough for low-income people, especially. with larger families.
This is true. To be successful, the money should fully compensate. The £500 one-off payment is less than the average wage.
5/5
Objection 4: Payment needs to be part of an overall package, including practical support (shopping etc.), emotional support, and communication.
Yes. SPI-B set out such a package in the following (see Annex B): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/952799/s1020-Reducing-within-between-household-transmission.pdf
Objection 4: Payment needs to be part of an overall package, including practical support (shopping etc.), emotional support, and communication.
Yes. SPI-B set out such a package in the following (see Annex B): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/952799/s1020-Reducing-within-between-household-transmission.pdf
PS
And if we are serious, why not do as New York does and pay for people self-isolating to stay in hotels (including services to care for their pets)? Their figures for self-isolation are far better than the UK's. https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/you-could-be-eligible-to-self-isolate-in-an-nyc-hotel-for-free-111320
And if we are serious, why not do as New York does and pay for people self-isolating to stay in hotels (including services to care for their pets)? Their figures for self-isolation are far better than the UK's. https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/you-could-be-eligible-to-self-isolate-in-an-nyc-hotel-for-free-111320
