The Cost of Lockdowns


 My governor is threatening tighter restrictions on mask wearing and event attendance limits. To back up these restrictions he is promising to charge violators with fines and misdemeanors.

This has of course spooked the locals and that’s why I just spent $200 On-groceries-I-don’t-need-but-might-need-in-the-next-four-months.
That’s $200 I can’t invest in a 401K.
That’s $200 I can’t use for Christmas shopping.
That’s $200 I won’t have on hand for emergencies.
Now granted, if none of these emergencies happen, my investment will balance out and the money I spent today will turn into money that I save in the future.
But I only have that option because I was able to get ahead of the panic and I had an extra $200 in the bank. But what about the people who don’t get ahead of the panic or don’t have the cash on hand?
This is the true devastation of the lockdowns. They disproportionately impact those who also are least able to prepare or react.
So what’s the solution? Well on an individual level I could try to guilt trip people to “not hoard” or on the flipside I could warn friends that they need to get their TP while they still can.
But at the government level, the solution is to avoid spooking the market and that means allowing stores and businesses to remain open.

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