Smart Containment : Lessons from Countries with Past Experience /

Following the Great Lockdown in 2020, it is important to take stock of lessons learned. How effective have different containment measures been in slowing the spread of Covid-19? Have containment measures been costly in terms of economic growth, fiscal balances, and accumulated debt? This paper finds...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Fotiou, Alexandra
Other Authors: Lagerborg, Andresa
Format: Journal
Language:English
Published: Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2021.
Series:IMF Working Papers; Working Paper ; No. 2021/099
Subjects:
Online Access:Full text available on IMF
Description
Summary:Following the Great Lockdown in 2020, it is important to take stock of lessons learned. How effective have different containment measures been in slowing the spread of Covid-19? Have containment measures been costly in terms of economic growth, fiscal balances, and accumulated debt? This paper finds that countries with previous SARS experience acted fast and "smart", and were able to contain the virus by relying mainly on public health measures - testing, contact tracing, and public information campaigns - rather than stay-at-home requirements. Using past coronavirus outbreaks as an instrumental variable, we show that countries with past experience were able to contain the virus in a smart way, reducing transmission and deaths while also experiencing higher economic growth in 2020.
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Physical Description:1 online resource (54 pages)
Format:Mode of access: Internet
ISSN:1018-5941
Access:Electronic access restricted to authorized BRAC University faculty, staff and students