Carol Propper, Professor of聽Economics at Imperial Business School, took part in an聽LSE聽online event to discuss the impact of coronavirus on wellbeing
During the event聽entitled聽鈥溾 on 21 May, Professor Propper told fellow academics that it was聽critical people understood聽the聽importance of the聽age聽factor聽in the transmission of聽coronavirus.聽
鈥淚 think 80-year-olds聽who say they鈥檇 like to see their grandchildren are putting themselves not only at danger of a very nasty death but also at danger of overwhelming the health service again,鈥 Professor Propper said.聽聽
鈥淭his pandemic hits聽the old and we do need to be clear about that,鈥 she added.聽
Professor Propper went on to highlight that the majority of transmissions are now happening in hospitals and care homes, and that by putting themselves at risk, the elderly were also risking the lives of healthcare workers.聽
As a cancer patient you don鈥檛 want to be travelling on the underground
However, Professor Propper聽also noted one of the positive outcomes related to the pandemic:聽a change in the way healthcare services are being delivered. She聽pointed聽to the increase in telephone appointments with cancer patients as an example.聽
鈥淎s a cancer patient you don鈥檛 want to be travelling on the underground because you have very low聽. It鈥檚聽actually better聽to see someone in your own house.鈥澛
The other academics聽taking part in the event聽included economist Richard Layard聽from the London School of Economics聽and聽Dr Daisy聽Fancourt聽from University College London, as well as聽MP聽Gus聽O鈥橠onnell.聽聽
The panel explored how聽the UK government response to coronavirus聽has focused on the mortality rate聽and asked what this response means聽for the nation鈥檚 wellbeing.
This is just one of a number of talks Professor Propper has given on the impact of coronavirus, including a debate entitled "" organised by cross-party organisation Compassion in Politics and another looking at wellbeing as the world emerges from lockdown. She is also the author of聽"Coronavirus: How economic lockdown is taking a toll on mental and physical health 鈥 and what it means for the future".
Share
