One thing to watch is that the payment of £500 to everyone who tests positive doesn't unleash the Cobra Effect.
A short story about unintended consequences.
A short story about unintended consequences.
https://twitter.com/JoshHalliday/status/1352328080837271552
An anecdote described in Horst Siebert's book The Cobra Effect retells the story of a bounty being offered to control the number of cobras in India.
A bounty was offered for each cobra.
You can see what's coming next, can't you.
A bounty was offered for each cobra.
You can see what's coming next, can't you.
People started breeding cobras in order to collect the bounty.
When the authorities caught wind of the scheme, they ended the bounty payment, and the entrepreneurial cobra breeders let their cobras loose.
So instead of controlling the cobra problem, it exascerbated it.
When the authorities caught wind of the scheme, they ended the bounty payment, and the entrepreneurial cobra breeders let their cobras loose.
So instead of controlling the cobra problem, it exascerbated it.
We need to ensure that people are incentivised to come forward for a test, to self isolate if that test is positive, and *not* to become infected to collect the bounty.
This may particularly be an issue for younger people who are less likely to have severe repercussions.
This may particularly be an issue for younger people who are less likely to have severe repercussions.
Compliance with self-isolation when people catch Covid is a real issue. It's great to see the Government is briefing that the problem is being given full consideration.
Unintended consequences (as with Eat Out to Help Out) are important and have to be considered fully.
Unintended consequences (as with Eat Out to Help Out) are important and have to be considered fully.
My and other views have been quoted in this Guardian article.
I hope that SAGE and SPI-B advice has informed the DHSC policy paper mentioned in the article.
theguardian.com/world/2021/jan…
I hope that SAGE and SPI-B advice has informed the DHSC policy paper mentioned in the article.
theguardian.com/world/2021/jan…
Am looking forward to speaking to @DavidLammy on @LBC at 5pm.
Will be discussing potential changes to isolation and support incentives for those who catch Covid.
Will be discussing potential changes to isolation and support incentives for those who catch Covid.
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