Brittany Burke
Reuter
Econ A2
16 May 2015
Spring Allergies
Spring is the start of warm weather, blooming flowers, and chirping birds. Spring is also the start of something we all dread: spring allergies. Although nature is, obviously, a public good, it can hurt us in many ways. In fact, about 40 million Americans have spring allergies. That’s about 1/7 of our population. It is just terribly sad that such a large portion of Americans can’t appreciate nature as much as they should be able to. Spring allergies aren’t avoidable, but they can easily affect the economy, both positively and negatively.
By looking at the net enjoyment on the graph above, you can see that as the number of blossoming cherry trees increase, the enjoyment level descends, which really shows how people with spring allergies are negatively affected. Nature is just so beautiful; no one should be miserable when they are surrounded by it.
Although allergies suck, they can have a positive impact on the economy. During the month of March, the demand and supply for allergy medication increases to meet all of the consumer’s needs. According to the Asthma and Allergy foundation of America, $11 million is spent on medications each year. Not only does this positively affect pharmacies and corporations involved with selling and the production of the medication, but the crazy amount of medications sold in the spring also helps increase the GDP, in the consumer spending aspect. Also, every year there are 11.1 million allergy related doctor appointments, which will positively impact doctors’ paychecks. With consumers spending more on every tool to make lives easier during this season full of many emotions, the economy will grow.
Spring allergies have a negative effect on the economy as well as having a positive effect. They cause people to skip work or miss out on school, which somebody has to pay for, eventually. Allergies also decrease the amount productivity workers have. Sick days and a lack a productivity will decrease the money supply. When workers take a sick day, they don’t get paid, so they’ll have less money to spend. When workers aren’t productive, they won’t produce as much as they are capable of, or they could get fired for not giving the amount of effort they should be giving.
Spring allergies are hard to avoid, but can easily affect one financially. They may help a business grow during the season, or may cause businesses to lose some of their employees mentally and physically. Either way, allergies have a large impact on the economy. So, the next time you feel miserable after sneezing multiple times in a row, just remember, you are helping the economy either expand or contract, depending on how you handle them.
Works Cited
"Allergies and Hay Fever." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 18 May 2015.
"Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America - Information About Asthma, Allergies, Food Allergies and More!" Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America - Information About Asthma, Allergies, Food Allergies and More! Web. 18 May 2015.
I thought thought I would hear of Spring Season as a public good, but it definitely fits. I also never thought of the affects of the flu/allergy season really spiking the economy. With such a large amount of demand for the supply of allergy pills/medicine I can see how the GDP and overall economic growth for pharmacies occurs.
ReplyDeleteI never really looked to into this topic before. But since you explained it, I could easily see the relations to economics. The graph that was displayed also helped see the relation to economics. When people do get these allergies they do feel as they wouldn't want to do anything for the rest of the evening as they are in aching pain. The only remedy to these allergies is medicine which can carry a hefty price tag with it sometimes. Overall, I thought that this was a very good topic to relate to economics.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has allergies I can contest to the fact that spring blooming is terrible. I never knew how much money is spent on medicine around this time. I guess it makes sense but it is still a shocking number. I feel like, as a medicine company, that you would wish for people to have worse allergies to make them have to spend more money. Overall, it was interesting to see/read how much an economy can prosper from the increase of money spent in this time period.
ReplyDeleteAllergies definitely have an effect on the economy! I hate having allergies, and I always find myself stocking up on Kleenix and Allegra D. I agree, it's unfortunate that people can't enjoy nature because I'd love to be outside enjoying it more, but my allergies say "nah son you don't like nature". I also agree with Daniel, companies that sell medicine definitely are hoping for people to have worse allergies, and it's really unfortunate that they have to think that way. It's just a higher cost for people who do have allergies. Thank you for posting this Brittany, you're a star. (:
ReplyDeleteWho knew allergies could relate to the economy? I suppose when you take into account the medicines and doctor's visits and sick days, it all adds up. Proportionally, how much of the economy does allergies make up? How largely is the GDP affected by sick days? Do people still go to work with allergies because it's seemingly inevitable? Great job incorporating economics vocabulary and fully tying in the aspects of it all. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteThis post is truly influential for that it shows how even the changes in seasons can give way to multiple strands of economic expeditions. Taking in to account the multiple medicinal and traditional products out there used to combat allergies as well as the insurance coverage of doctoral appointments, its amazing to see how such simplistic subjects can snowball into giant influences on the modern economy.
ReplyDeleteAllergies do indeed relate to the economy in certain ways. It is annoying to have them. I agree with the drug company statement-it makes them money- but that doesn't benefit the consumer, save for the product of course. They make lots of money off of it, but some of that is invested into research for better products. For us though, that would be beneficial. Now if they only did it.. Anyway, yes, allergies are bad and drug companies are just as annoying as allergies but are needed.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree spring allergies are always a pain in the butt. Being one of the few that actually has the worst case of them its horrible. The amount of money that goes towards my allergy medicine and sometimes the medicine doesn't even work which is worse.
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