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I've been doing some research. It's back-of-envelope stuff so I invite any professionals with better data to correct anything here.
The median cost of adding one year of life to an American through medical intervention is (in 2020 dollars) about $34,000.
The median cost of adding one year of life to an American through medical intervention is (in 2020 dollars) about $34,000.
In round numbers, based on current life expectancy in USA, average age of victims of COVID-19, and worst-case scenarios if we do nothing, a $2T loss of activity (10% of GDP) in response to COVID-19 represents a cost of adding a year of life that is WELL OVER TEN TIMES that $34K.
So government is willing to pay way more than ten times as much to save a year of life from coronavirus than from anything else (and it's your money).
Who can justify that? Why is a year lost from coronavirus worth so much more than a year of life lost to any other health issue?
Who can justify that? Why is a year lost from coronavirus worth so much more than a year of life lost to any other health issue?
(And for the record: I'm well aware that the true economic and **human** impact of current policy will be much greater than captured by that $2T number ... Economic contraction will cause loss of jobs, homes and lives.) https://fee.org/articles/covid-19-and-the-trolley-problem-you-re-on-the-tracks-and-the-government-is-controlling-the-switch/
