"Covid-19: Can and should we put monetary value on life?"

Esmond Birnie

Press/Media: Expert Comment

Description

Article in the Irish News.

Subject

Evaluation of COVID-19 lockdown policy in terms of benefits versus costs. Can and should we attempt to put a cash value on a human life saved? Probably not, but in world where resources always scarce it is morally acceptable (and necessary) to be sensitive to the costs of various public policy options.

Period	18 Jun 2020

Media contributions

Title	"Covid-19: Can and should we put monetary value on human life?"
Degree of recognition	Regional
Media name/outlet	Irish News
Media type	Print
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
Date	18/06/20
Description	Irish News article- weighing up cost of lockdown against lives saved. But can/should we do that in terms of putting a cash value on each life (or year of life) saved?
Producer/Author	Esmond Birnie
URL	https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishnews.com%2Flifestyle%2Ffaithmatters%2F2020%2F06%2F18%2Fnews%2Fcovid-19-can---and-should---we-put-a-monetary-value-on-life--1975319%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cesmond.birnie%40ulster.ac.uk%7Ccf1158f7bbc0450cb05408d8139dbc42%7C6f0b94874fa842a8aeb4bf2e2c22d4e8%7C0%7C0%7C637280915470812100&sdata=R%2BDXgLlSlzvOaehW%2Fj6DDmpVhbH5Axgv7bfapb%2B9zck%3D&reserved=0
Persons	Esmond Birnie

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Keywords

Northern Ireland economy, political impact on economy, devolution, devolved policies, economic policy, economic growth, UK growth
COVID-19
COVID-19 response
Pandemic
cost benefit analysis
utilitarianism
lives saved
value of a human life
QALY
NICE