Saturday, November 01, 2014

Paying people for quarantines

Paying people for quarantines - The Washington Post:
The ongoing controversy over quarantine between those calling for quarantine and those who see it as violation of rights demands a compromise.
Quarantine is harsh, as people are deprived of their liberty for no fault of their own.
Aside from the inherent burden of confinement, those quarantined may also face financial losses from not being able to work.
Nonetheless, when faced with the risk of a destructive epidemic, quarantine is justified.
The potential costs to society in loss of life, panic and disruption can far exceed the individual costs of quarantine.
But that does not mean the burden should fall entirely on the unfortunate individuals subject to isolation.
A better policy would be to quarantine when necessary – but partially compensate those who bear the burden on behalf of society.
In other words, quarantined people should be paid. 
New York State has apparently adopted this policy to a limited extent, but other states imposing quarantines have yet to follow suit.

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