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How do we think about the UK lockdown debate? How do we think about the UK lockdown debate?
The libertarian position, or 'End lockdown now!' The libertarian position, or 'End lockdown now!'
The nanny state position, or 'Let the state look after us' The nanny state position, or 'Let the state look after us'
The authoritarian position, or 'Do not lift lockdown!' The authoritarian position, or 'Do not lift lockdown!'
The collective coordination state The collective coordination state
Test, trace, isolate, protect Test, trace, isolate, protect
Lockdown puts us on the path to totalitarian rule Lockdown puts us on the path to totalitarian rule
The state should not control the individual The state should not control the individual
The greater good must come first The greater good must come first
The UK lockdown model is false The UK lockdown model is false
Death rate predictions are rooted in lies Death rate predictions are rooted in lies
The government cannot be trusted The government cannot be trusted
Most people have already had the virus Most people have already had the virus
The pandemic will kill, lockdown or no lockdown The pandemic will kill, lockdown or no lockdown
We should relax the lines between the public and the private We should relax the lines between the public and the private
The role of the state must adapt in times of crisis The role of the state must adapt in times of crisis
Give the healthy their independence back Give the healthy their independence back
The state should end lockdown in phases The state should end lockdown in phases
We must trust Neil Ferguson's model We must trust Neil Ferguson's model
Public health supersedes any other consideration during the pandemic Public health supersedes any other consideration during the pandemic
Despot now, doughnut later Despot now, doughnut later
Lifting the lockdown will give rise to a police state, which must be avoided Lifting the lockdown will give rise to a police state, which must be avoided
Lifting lockdown forces workers to risk their lives during the pandemic Lifting lockdown forces workers to risk their lives during the pandemic
The lockdown solves a problem of private and social cost The lockdown solves a problem of private and social cost
We should stop the virus from spreading We should stop the virus from spreading
Contact tracing apps can potentially help individuals monitor their risk of exposure and transmission Contact tracing apps can potentially help individuals monitor their risk of exposure and transmission
More public health jobs would be created in the UK More public health jobs would be created in the UK
We need to support the test, trace, and isolation infrastructure We need to support the test, trace, and isolation infrastructure
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How do we think about the UK lockdown debate?
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Test, trace, isolate, protect

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More public health jobs would be created in the UK

The contact tracing strategy would be entirely reliant on public health workers and contact tracers. People can be easily and quickly trained to fill these positions. They would not only offer valuable advice to the public but also reduce the number of hospitalizations and help the economy rebound.
Dr. John Ashton Kate Allen
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The Argument

This strategy to help end lockdown would create many more well-paying jobs. Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, recently recommended the state to train 10,000 new contact tracers.[1] The initiative is that within the first 24 hours if individuals fear being exposed to the disease or transmitting it, they contact public health workers. Such programs are being implemented in the UK as well, and could become the answer to defeating COVID-19. There is a huge drive to train more public health workers. In an underfunded and rigidly structured medical system, it is hard to train more doctors, nurses, and hospital workers in a shorter period of time. There is a growing fear of hospitals exceeding their capacity levels or running out of resources. But, individuals and entire communities won't have to be admitted if their risk of exposure and transmission are evaluated by public health workers. In the UK, public health workers or community workers can be trained within 3 months. The program includes a 40-hour didactic training and an 80-hour practicum.[2] The training period is relatively fast and they can be of tremendous help and service to the community especially during the pandemic. As the economy starts reopening, many more jobs will need to be created and public health jobs can drastically increase.

Counter arguments

Public health jobs put individuals and families at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. As of May 22, forty-nine NHS staff have died due to the pandemic.[3] Nursing news estimates that at least 134 healthcare and social workers have passed away due to the disease.[4] All of these statistics show that public health workers are increasingly at risk of becoming sick. If they are asymptomatic or unaware of their exposure, they could even transmit it to their family members. It is very reasonable for people to take time off during these trying times. Governments should always explain the risks and sacrifices that public health workers need to make. Given this context, it is quite possible that many people won't join as healthcare workers.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/16/why-isnt-contact-tracing-protecting-california-from-covid-19-outbreaks/source.html
  2. https://ruralhealth.med.uky.edu/training-1.html
  3. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/16/doctors-nurses-porters-volunteers-the-uk-health-workers-who-have-died-from-covid-19/source.html
  4. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/families-of-uk-health-workers-who-die-from-covid-19-will-get-payments-of-up-to-75000-2020-04-27/source.html
This page was last edited on Thursday, 30 Jul 2020 at 19:21 UTC

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