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- Title
Economic, social and political issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Authors
Tisdell, Clement A.
- Abstract
This article contributes to the assessment of public policies to control the incidence of COVID-19 in several ways. (1) It contains a brief historical and comparative overview of selected pandemics, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) It provides a simple original model which could be used to prioritize the admission of COVID-19 sufferers to hospital (taking into account available hospital capacity) and (3) it specifies a second model to evaluate desired social choices involving the trade-off between the severity of social restrictions (taking into account their impact on the incidence of COVID-19) and the level of economic activity. Bergson-type welfare functions are utilized in the second model. It also critically examines the proposition that the isolation (lockdown) of social groups is a desirable method of limiting the incidence of COVID-19. This leads onto the consideration of the extent to which personal freedom of choice (liberty) ought to be restricted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A brief outline follows illustrating the factors that are likely to hinder economic recovery from COVID-19. Particular attention is paid to the moral and ethical questions raised by policies to control COVID-19. These appear to have received little attention in the relevant economic literature.
- Subjects
COVID-19 pandemic; POLITICAL science; COVID-19; SOCIAL choice; ECONOMIC recovery
- Publication
Economic Analysis & Policy, 2020, Vol 68, p17
- ISSN
0313-5926
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1016/j.eap.2020.08.002