Health Care & the new Pandemic

[xi_o_teaz]

As I was reading up on the escalation of the Swine Flu to full "pandemic" status, I was also thinking about the newest article on Health Care Reform. And I was reminded of one of the easiest ways to help control the spread of this Pandemic. A way that will never be implemented, because it makes too much sense:

Giving people more paid sick time

Comments

[zephret]

It's a good idea, probably with something added like a doctor's certificate to certify actual illness to prevent abuse... oh wait, it costs you everytime you go to a GP doesn't it?

Sucks to live in a country without social health. People bitch about it here, but I love it. I've had 4 operations and not paid a penny for them. (Except in monthly taxes when working.)

[xi_o_teaz]

oh wait, it costs you everytime you go to a GP doesn't it?

Min. $50, yup. I almost moved to the UK when I graduated high school, for the sole reason of their Health Care System. I'd move to Canada, but it's too fuckin' cold and miserable up there for me. I'd kill myself, which would negate any "health care" benefits ;-)

[zephret]

That really sucks. Basic health care is a human right. I feel sorry for you guys.

[xi_o_teaz]

I don't know how I would have survived to this point in my Life without the many esoteric Healing methods I know.

It has had the benefit of encouraging self-medication and alternative medicine. I mean, if it's cheaper to take some herbs, do Taiji, and a little Reiki here and there...

Re: Too Sick to Stay Home

[xi_o_teaz]

When I was a weight loss counselor for LA Weight Loss (before they closed), we had 500 clients we saw about 2-3 times per week (and how many people did these people come into contact with?). This doesn't count the people they came into contact, nor the people I'd come into contact at the gas station, the market, or anywhere else I went (and how many people did these people come into contact with?). And I don't shop that much, whereas I know people who shop everyday (like my brother's house I'm currently house-sitting as but one example). Or the amount of those 500 clients that have children, who go to school with several hundred other children, etc, etc, etc...

School closures are prolly one of the single best ways I can think of to reduce a spread of a pandemic, but paying service workers to stay home has got to be in the top half-dozen ways to reduce the spread of any Pandemic.