argument top image

Who should you help during the coronavirus pandemic?
Back to question

The elderly need food deliveries

The elderly are at an increased risk of negative health outcomes if they contract the virus. Therefore, they must stay at home. We must provide help to homebound elderly residents.
< (2 of 2) Next argument >

Context

The elderly are at increased risk of medical complications and death resulting from COVID-19. Food delivery organizations are seeing an uptick in the use of their services as old people attempt to avoid public spaces.

The Argument

Meals on Wheels and other food delivery services are seeing an increase in the use of their services. Elderly people are taking precautions and are avoiding supermarkets. As a result, food delivery organizations are stretched thin. Volunteering at a local Meals on Wheels or alternative food delivery service will provide a much-needed service for the elderly population.

Counter arguments

The elderly have already had their time in the spotlight as it were. From both an economic and moral perspective, we should be channelling resources to help the younger segments of the population. Their survival generates more economic returns (they have more working years ahead of them) and more years of life. If we are able to prevent two old people from catching coronavirus and dying, we may grant them two more decades of life. If we are able to prevent two young people from dying, together, we may be able to grant them more than a century of lived experiences that they would never have had.

Premises

[P1] We must help the most vulnerable elements of our society. [P2] Old people suffer the worst health outcomes from COVID-19. [P3] Therefore, we should help the elderly.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] We should help those that provide the largest return on investment.

References

This page was last edited on Wednesday, 15 Apr 2020 at 09:41 UTC

Explore related arguments