Firstly, all the virus situations are awful, i work in health care and am currently doing 74 hour weeks to try and meet demand, 74 hours a week until i get infected.
With all the changes to how all societies are ordered across the world, and having just studied revolutions in DD316, the aftermath of the societal shutdowns we currently endure could be very difficult.
Shops in the high street were struggling before the lockdown, most will not reopen in the recession economy after the lockdown. That's 3 million people without work.
A lot of firms will realise that staff can work from home, office complexes will become empty, which puts service staff, such as cleaners/receptionists out of work.
With a recession economy firms that do survive with cut back staff numbers to save costs.
Product lines in supermarkets are simplified, international goods have/ will disappear. So although now the super markets are taking on tens of thousands of temporary staff, they won't be needed once the demand shock settles down. So more people will lose their temporary work.
Before the virus outbreak, the UK had 1 million unemployed people, 0.15% of the population. Once the lockdown is over, in the recession economy that could rise to 10 million, 15.0% of the population. That is a 10 fold increase....
How we will support 15.0% unemployed in a world recession economy is terrifying. Compounded by all the three month safety net measures currently in place from the government are based on borrowing, how can they then fund a 10 fold increase in unemployment benefits?
So whilst some officials talk about 'the economy bouncing back' once the infection rates fall, it seems that the aftermath will be more of a revolution in economic activity and social needs, things will be very different for everybody after the pandemic, not just a simple case of bouncing back to past practices.
So please do all stay safe, stay isolated and stay well.
