Politics, Pandemics, and Pariahs: Age Discrimination and CoVid19 Exit Strategies

Abstract

Special Co-Vid 19 responses have been targeted to the elderly (of whatever age cut-off a politician designates) on the basis that age, itself, constitutes and a unique vulnerability to the disease. This Essay challenges that assumption on the basis of newer epidemiological evidence which I introduce Targeting the aged for more stringent restrictions on the basis of outdated or irrelevant data serves as the basis for unwitting and unwarranting discrimination. I urge that actions proscribed for this group, e.g., continued isolation, will further compound mental health issues and loneliness to which this group is otherwise susceptible - i.e., the prescription may be worse than the disease. I also caution policy-makers that targeting any segment of the population for particular response can used be a cover for politically-motivated aims and must be carefully evaluated for covert discrimination. Further, early reports, especially those that are locality driven should be re-evaluated as an epidemic progresses to determine if those reports are indeed relevant and applicable outside a limited area or venue. In the case of age-related directives, susceptibility to serious consequences of CoVid-9 may be a function of co-morbidities (also experienced by those of other groups, such as the poor), sex , the venue of exposure, or the health system of a particular country. Here, even the power of suggestion of vulnerability can impact on survival and hardiness.