4 ms·

Can we not? Why can't Australia for example close all borders and call it the day?

by avip 7y ago

saagarjha 7y ago
Because Australia already has a number of cases?
mikekchar 7y ago
For one thing, most countries are not self sufficient in basic necessities (not even food!). You could do it for a very short time, but not sustain it. Also, the economy of the country depends on international trade. Modern economies actually don't have a lot of slack. If you shut down trade, quite a few companies will just go under. You would have to back that up with huge subsidies. It would be a massive undertaking.
- avip 7y ago
  Sure but shutting down all schools also shuts down the economy. Isn't closing borders for people, a more cost effective course of action ?
- asah 7y ago
  Viruses don't live long enough to survive ocean shipping, so as long as the (tiny) crew is kept isolated, ocean shipping is fine. Within a country, it's not hard to disinfect a truck and keep the driver isolated. Of course, if the originating factory is shut, then you're screwed - but that's true regardless of trade. Also worth noting: it takes a tiny number of people to produce tons of food (calories). Maybe not true for artisanal salami but for bulk basics.
  - blaser-waffle 7y ago
    The US is the single largest exporter of grain in the world. Not the largest producer, not the largest consumer, but the largest exporter. And the US farming population is ~1% of the total US pop. Modern tractors and combines are amazing. Doesn't mean there aren't a ton of bodies involved in processing and transportation, though. You can probably find local-ish wheat in the US, but you're not going to boil and eat the wheat berries for a porridge like it's 1850 (though you could); you're going to buy breakfast cereal.
- trevyn 7y ago
  You don’t need a whole modern economy to feed people.
- coldtea 7y ago
  Well, if there's a widespread virus that has "the power to kill a perfectly healthy young man or woman within 24 hours of showing the first signs of infection" the "economy" and "international trade" would be the least of our worries...
andyjohnson0 7y ago
In addition to the reasons others have given (self-sufficiency, and it being too late this time), closed boarders as a general and ongoing solution is very brittle. All it takes is one infected person to get across the border and you have no defence-in-depth. As a short-term measure in combination with other public health efforts, it might have some merit, but thats all really.

Can we not? Why can't Australia for example close all borders and call it the day?

by avip 7y ago

Can we not? Why can't Australia for example close all borders and call it the day?

saagarjha 7y ago

Because Australia already has a number of cases?

mikekchar 7y ago

For one thing, most countries are not self sufficient in basic necessities (not even food!). You could do it for a very short time, but not sustain it. Also, the economy of the country depends on international trade. Modern economies actually don't have a lot of slack. If you shut down trade, quite a few companies will just go under. You would have to back that up with huge subsidies. It would be a massive undertaking.

avip 7y ago
Sure but shutting down all schools also shuts down the economy. Isn't closing borders for people, a more cost effective course of action ?
asah 7y ago
Viruses don't live long enough to survive ocean shipping, so as long as the (tiny) crew is kept isolated, ocean shipping is fine. Within a country, it's not hard to disinfect a truck and keep the driver isolated. Of course, if the originating factory is shut, then you're screwed - but that's true regardless of trade. Also worth noting: it takes a tiny number of people to produce tons of food (calories). Maybe not true for artisanal salami but for bulk basics.
- blaser-waffle 7y ago
  The US is the single largest exporter of grain in the world. Not the largest producer, not the largest consumer, but the largest exporter. And the US farming population is ~1% of the total US pop. Modern tractors and combines are amazing. Doesn't mean there aren't a ton of bodies involved in processing and transportation, though. You can probably find local-ish wheat in the US, but you're not going to boil and eat the wheat berries for a porridge like it's 1850 (though you could); you're going to buy breakfast cereal.
trevyn 7y ago
You don’t need a whole modern economy to feed people.
coldtea 7y ago
Well, if there's a widespread virus that has "the power to kill a perfectly healthy young man or woman within 24 hours of showing the first signs of infection" the "economy" and "international trade" would be the least of our worries...

andyjohnson0 7y ago

In addition to the reasons others have given (self-sufficiency, and it being too late this time), closed boarders as a general and ongoing solution is very brittle. All it takes is one infected person to get across the border and you have no defence-in-depth. As a short-term measure in combination with other public health efforts, it might have some merit, but thats all really.