I think the point here is that if we are looking at the economy as the ultimate end and treating people as the means to that end, then we’re doing it wrong [1]. I get annoyed every single time I hear people justify the suffering of others as “good for the economy.”

Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.

— Immanuel Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_imperative#The_sec...

Usually when people say "bad for the economy" they mean bad for the bottom line. Sure, my health and the health of those around me does effect the economy, it effects how much money we have to spend on luxury items compared to health costs, or how much we get paid due to time taken off due to sickness etc.

And sometimes the well-being of loved ones means you are happy to sacrifice your own health. e.g. working a second job to pay medical bills for a loved one. People do it. But very rarely is the bottom line the prime motivator.