Coronavirus health fears outweigh concern for economy: global survey

This is just what they wanted, hardly a suprise.

Some 76% of Japanese respondents agreed public health should be prioritized over the economy against just 56% in China

Economy and public health are closely related. Retired elderly patients rely on the universal healthcare program financed by public money, maintained by mostly working age premium payers and through their economic activities.

Besides, I don't know how respondents meant by "public health" in this study. The current virus response is only one of other objectives. Suppose the value of life is paramount, let's beware that we having been living and dealing with various health risks, some life-threatening, aside from the Covid-19. In Japan the average 3,000 people die everyday of various causes (the primary causes are cancer-related). Excessive responses to the virus at all cost can be hazardous to non-virus health issues.

Yeah let's burn down the economy because 3.6 million out of the world's 6.2 billion people are ill. That is 0.00058%, we need some serious perspective here.

Some 76% of Japanese respondents agreed public health should be prioritized over the economy against just 56% in China

Absolutely NO shock that people in China put a much higher preference on making money and the economy over saving lives, compared to other nations surveyed.

Great to see 76% of Japanese prioritize lives over money. Lives BEFORE money.

Very difficult situation. At some point more economic losses will translate to more lives lost.

Fighto!Today  04:53 pm JST

Some 76% of Japanese respondents agreed public health should be prioritized over the economy against just 56% in China

Absolutely NO shock that people in China put a much higher preference on making money and the economy over saving lives, compared to other nations surveyed. 

Great to see 76% of Japanese prioritize lives over money. Lives BEFORE money.

It's also worth considering the motivations of the CCP. They're quite prepared to crack a few eggs to make an omelette if it means retaining power. When you're an autocracy with 1.4 billion people to rule over, you won't shy away from sacrificing quite a few - they've already killed off some 40 million or so through self-inflicted famine, purges, murder, etc. since 1949. They need to get the economy up and running again to stave off threats of civil unrest, and the average person just wants to get back to work and survive. I don't know a lot about mainland Chinese culture, but from what I've observed, Chinese are pretty focused on the family but don't care much for anyone outside their circle. So if that's the case, yeah, they don't care much for public health beyond what to can do for their own family. Maybe I'm wrong, and am happy to be corrected.

Regarding the survey itself, here's link to the Edelman website for more context: https://www.edelman.com/research/trust-2020-spring-update

While the trust in government globally seems to have risen from 56% to 65% according to the survey, I wonder how much of that derives from the massive welfare payments governments have been dispensing? Remember, money isn't free and neither is life - so we'll see how long that figure holds up until the money runs out and/or enough people just decide they'd rather accept the risk of infection instead of staying cooped up at home for the long haul. No vaccine will be available soon, certainly not in the amounts required to immunise national populations. So the only realistic solution is to return to work and generate the wealth to fund all this welfare.

And defend against the threat of looming CCP expansionism.

It’s a shame both the government and business owners in Japan don’t feel this way. They have to shut down Japan Inc. for a month, close the airports and inter-prefectural travel and keep the people separated to stop the spread of this virus. If they do not do this, they will still be battling this virus at Christmas. One month of severe hardship is better than a year of continued hardship.

@kyushubill

it hurts your credibility if you think that the world population is 6.2B.

its 7.8B...

Too bad the governments and powers that be don't care about anything more than money and power, and for more of that they need the sacrifice of human life -- American politicians in particular have flat out said as much.

@kyushubill

Yeah let's burn down the economy because 3.6 million out of the world's 6.2 billion people are ill. That is 0.00058%, we need some serious perspective here.

You should really study basic algebra again.

Because 3.6 million out of 6.2 billion is 0.058%.

Not 0.00058%.

That is 6 people in 10,000.

Poor countries are not testing.

Never mind poor countries not testing, Japan is hardly testing.

Japan stands in the 2nd from last place in the world of the lowest testing countries, where Mexico is the lovest...

It’s fair to say that we can only hope scientists can save us.

There are few exceptions but most elected officials are crap, aren’t they?

There are few exceptions but most elected officials are crap, aren’t they?

Yes, in this age it seems to be more important to spend valuable time convincing people that you are doing a good job than actually spending time doing a good job. Exhibit A, Trump, the master of inaction and media spin.

I wish they’d stop pretending cases are going down.

Holidays = Very few tests.

A different approach needs to be taken to keeping things going. Many people need to work in order to live, when they are forced not to work, then living is impossible... then it's a choice between death by starvation, Suicide or the disease, at least the latter is better suited for some of those whose Religious beliefs go against Suicide.

Regardless whether or not a Chinese Lab let the virus go or not, a Global ban on such single Country activities should be enforced. Let the UN operate a single lab to investigate Diseases in a fixed location under incredible lockdown procedures .... ideally on certain place upon the Moon - maybe the appropriately named "dark-side" ...

A different approach needs to be taken to keeping things going.

Not if getting out there were to cause more death than not. It's not like there isn't enough money to go around - Trump could feed everyone in America for a few weeks on what he pretends his personal fortune is.

If it's scientifically safe to get out there, and the medical community won't be overrun beyond what they can handle, then yeah, it's time to open up to some degree. But if your argument is 'I'm bored and broke, so it's time to end this', well sorry, but the logical world isn't going to support that.

That all said, the CCP has shown a complete disrespect for both its own people, and those of the rest of the World. Suppressing Doctors from advising others about the new virus, altering reports, banning discussion, and even censoring Scientific studies... is totally shameful. Were I to be Chinese, and allowed to know of these things, then I'd be ashamed of being a CCP member....

Regardless whether or not a Chinese Lab let the virus go or not, a Global ban on such single Country activities should be enforced.

It'll never happen. The US was never given any ban for their invasion of Iraq based on their lies that there WMDs. Why would China ever take any responsibility for this when countries who willingly invade others based on lies did not ever take any responsibility?

No, nothing will happen to China for the same reason that no one was able to force America to properly deal with it's screwup in Iraq; it's too powerful.

Anyone who thinks that China would ever be forced to any kind of reckoning on this is deluding themselves.

the CCP has shown a complete disrespect for both its own people, and those of the rest of the World. Suppressing Doctors from advising others about the new virus, altering reports, banning discussion, and even censoring Scientific studies... is totally shameful.

Right! And America is doing all those exact same things.

It's no wonder these countries have been hit by so many deaths; incompetent leadership.

Came across this yesterday.... quite interesting if indeed true.

https://gnews.org/zh-hant/102685

Paul:

"Poor countries are not testing."

Never mind poor countries not testing, Japan is hardly testing.

Japan stands in the 2nd from last place in the world of the lowest testing countries, where Mexico is the lovest...

Mote testing does not mean better. It could be worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMIScCb04qs

Correction: Mote testing --- More testing