To avoid a second wave of deaths, policy should focus on non-economic interventions rather than economic shutdown

Economic researchers at Brookings presented a paper that details policy recommendations for addressing a second wave of COVID-19 infections. The authors estimate the effects of economic shutdowns and non-economic interventions (e.g., limiting group gatherings, widespread mask use) on expected COVID-19 deaths. Results suggest that another full economic shutdown is not only costly for the economy in terms of rising unemployment, but also far less effective in mitigating deaths than non-economic interventions. The authors recommend “doubling down” on mitigation measures as an alternative to broad economic closures that could have long-term impacts. #covid-19 #workforce