If you live in a nation that has universal and free healthcare, then there is in fact very little reason to worry.
Wash your hands and practice good hygiene.
As you should anyway, because that reduces the spread of other diseases inc. flu and colds, which are already endemic.
If you live in a nation like the USA, then you should worry, for several reasons:
Many workers cannot afford to take any time off, and cannot afford to go to their doctor for any treatment until it is already life threatening to them.
By that time they are likely to have spread it to customers and colleagues.
Many people cannot afford immunizations. Their insurance doesn’t cover them, or their co-pay is high.
These workers also work physically closely with colleagues, and are more likely to travel on buses due to the cost.
Full-service restaurants are commonly extremely low pay (below minimum wage) with little to no health coverage.
Yes, there are laws/regulations about food service, but they are routinely ignored—staff can’t afford time off and managers turn a blind eye.
There is currently no vaccine and no cure—only general support.
So no amount of money will save you from death if you are one of the unfortunate few whose immune system cannot destroy the virus before multiple organ failure.
The group with the highest risk of death (~15%) from Covid19 are old men with heart problems, esp. if they have further co-morbidities.
We can thus predict that quite a few old, rich men are going to die because of the US healthcare system.
If Covid19 worries you, then campaign for free healthcare for all because it is the only way to protect yourself from it—and the future viruses that will inevitably follow.
In the USA, the Affordable Care Act made the flu shot free for most people who have health insurance, and for some groups without insurance.
Approx. 10% of US citizens have no health insurance at all, these are of course those who either don’t work or have low-paid jobs.
If you live in a nation that has universal and free healthcare, then there is in fact very little reason to worry.
Wash your hands and practice good hygiene.
As you should anyway, because that reduces the spread of other diseases inc. flu and colds, which are already endemic.
If you live in a nation like the USA, then you should worry, for several reasons:
Many workers cannot afford to take any time off, and cannot afford to go to their doctor for any treatment until it is already life threatening to them. By that time they are likely to have spread it to customers and colleagues.
Many people cannot afford immunizations. Their insurance doesn’t cover them, or their co-pay is high.
These workers also work physically closely with colleagues, and are more likely to travel on buses due to the cost.
Full-service restaurants are commonly extremely low pay (below minimum wage) with little to no health coverage. Yes, there are laws/regulations about food service, but they are routinely ignored—staff can’t afford time off and managers turn a blind eye.
There is currently no vaccine and no cure—only general support. So no amount of money will save you from death if you are one of the unfortunate few whose immune system cannot destroy the virus before multiple organ failure.
The group with the highest risk of death (~15%) from Covid19 are old men with heart problems, esp. if they have further co-morbidities.
We can thus predict that quite a few old, rich men are going to die because of the US healthcare system.
If Covid19 worries you, then campaign for free healthcare for all because it is the only way to protect yourself from it—and the future viruses that will inevitably follow.
Couple of numbers to think about:
A flu shot covering the four or five “most common” viruses (inc. bird flu) in 2019/2020 cost $10 privately in the UK, and $20-$75 in the USA.
In the UK, everyone registered with a GP who is at increased risk of pneumonia is offered the shot for free, regardless of status. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/who-should-have-flu-vaccine/
In the USA, the Affordable Care Act made the flu shot free for most people who have health insurance, and for some groups without insurance. Approx. 10% of US citizens have no health insurance at all, these are of course those who either don’t work or have low-paid jobs.