| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Bird Flu
& the Economy |
|
When one thinks of the bird flu they rarely associate it with the economy. Then again, why would they? We all are so caught up in how it's going to affect our health, our family, and our pets that we haven't focused on the other issues which may stem from the virus. It's necessary to take a look at the other side effects and realize that sickness is not the only thing we should be worrying about.
Financially, a severe outbreak could be the beginning of an economic breakdown. Many feel that it could be worse than any other pandemic, leaving the world to shell out billions of dollars. International trading would also be a large issue, as contaminated countries would not be able ship out their products. This would cause production to halt, and therefore lead many services down the drain.
Economically, the travel industry would also suffer. People would no longer leave their homes, let alone get on an airplane. Many get very anxious at the thought of traveling to different countries which are homes to these viruses. If the United States were to suffer as well, airplanes would be shut down all together. Sending contaminated people to and from different areas would only make the situation worse.
The people who will suffer the most will be teenagers; the consumers who never stop shopping! With people seeking safety in their homes, and the fear of going outdoors, there would be no entertainment or consumerism. This would create a large dent in the economy, since not much money would be coming in. Another issue would be outsourcing. Most giant chain stores get their products from overseas. After all, it is much cheaper to employ people in different countries. However, if all of these countries are impacted and airplanes are non
existent, these products would never get to their rightful owners. Therefore, there would be no products in the stores! Most importantly, these facilities would not function properly. No one would be going to their daily jobs, and no one would be seeking employment. This would leave the public at a stand still.
Stock markets would also be one of the first things to suffer. They have already had to stand up against different tragedies like 9/11 and
SARS. This would be just as serious, and would lead to prices dropping heavily. Unfortunately, there is no way to figure out when or if a pandemic would ever hit. Therefore, investors cannot act accordingly. As for now, all they can do is look at the risk involved and watch their every step.
With such strain on the economy already, one can assume that a pandemic would create havoc. It is something that constantly needs to be in the back of our minds, but it is impossible to prepare fully when we have no idea if it'll hit. The most important thing we need to do is be ready for it if it does happen. Investors feel that no company is really ready for such an economic battle. It is necessary to have back up plan if these things do occur.
|
|
|
|
|
|