Rights and responsibilities

A few years ago, I wrote an ebook for people considering a new career as a driving instructor.  In the book I hypothesised about the future of travel; how we will be making the everyday choices that we make for journeys.  I brought up the idea that individuals will have key data 'markers' which will affect how much they pay for the options available to them.  A simple example would be a person's weight and how that might affect the price of plane tickets.  You can quite imagine that when blood and other samples are taken regularly, it will keep the State updated as to the responsibility that people are taking for their lifestyle and the effect it has on options available to them.

Think of smokers.  The State doesn't want them to smoke, it creates a drain on the NHS; however, it doesn't feel that it can prohibit smoking point-blank.  But it can and has created laws when smokers are around others; in buildings, cars, planes.  Smokers may not take responsibility for their safety or others seriously, but the State sure as hell will.

And so it could very easily transpire with the management of viruses.  History shows us that it is not possible to immediately formulate vaccines for all that crop up.  So how does the State control this problem?  It can place obligatory restrictions on people with certain medical conditions who are at higher risk, e.g. immunity issues.  

This is not a choice; it is a requirement.  

It can require people to regularly test their health for viruses (and other conditions) and create a 'live' data bank of verified individuals.  Doctors screen dna and key health performance indicators.  People are allowed to work and roam anywhere while 'verified'.  It would be an offence for the verification period to lapse or to knowingly breach conditions when the status is compromised.

You could imagine the requirement to carry an external card with personalised data on it at all times.  There is an obligation to 'swipe' to gain entry to supermarkets, swimming pools, theatres, libraries, work, tube trains etc.  You can also imagine a chip that is inserted just beneath the skin (just like we do with tagging dogs), and scanners automatically detect this data when a person attempts to enter certain places.  

At the start of every day, a person is able to provide a blood/urine/temperature/weight/breath sample from home.  The amount of data provided has a direct link to the freedoms available that day.  The type of work able to do, places that can be visited, modes of travel utilised.  You get the drift.  The more data to verify 'status' increases perceived worth - key workers for instance would be more valued and financially rewarded.