Publications
Who Should Delay Returning to Work?
2020
González-Rivera, C., & Finkelstein, R. (2020, September 8). Who Should Delay Returning to Work? CWI Labs.
christian gonzález-rivera and Ruth Finkelstein
After enduring months of unemployment or adapting to work from home, most people are wondering when and how the economy will open up again. Because older adults have a greater risk of getting seriously ill or dying of COVID-19, some economists and policymakers suggest that most people could return to work if we maintain a lockdown for people aged 65 and older. Simply put, such a plan is not only terribly immoral and unjust, but it will also fail to accomplish its two main objectives: to restart the economy and to contain the virus.
In this article published by CWI Labs, Christian González-Rivera and Ruth Finkelstein present an analysis of data from various sources that shows that policymakers are asking the wrong questions when weighing how to safely reopen the economy. They are asking who needs to be protected rather than asking what needs to be done to make all workplaces as safe as possible for everyone.