“Policy cures worse than the disease” By HSH Prince Michael von Liechtenstein, courtesy of ECAEF The world has lost its head and gone into a panicky, large-scale economic lockdown. Coronavirus rules supreme. The disease started in Wuhan, a city in the Hubei province of China. After first ignoring the problem, the authorities in […]
Tag: pandemic
Don’t forget indoor air pollution in COVID-19 fight
“Lack of Clean Cooking Energy Aggravates Coronavirus Impact in Africa” By Grace Kageni Mbungu, courtesy of IASS Around the world the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life as we know it. However, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that the coronavirus exists on top of many underlying health, social, and economic […]
Key workers make 8% less than other Brits, on average
“Key workers’ hourly wages are 8% lower on average than other employees” Institute for Fiscal Studies The response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has underlined the critical role of the UK’s key workers, many of whom are in relatively low-paid sectors such as food or social care. Overall, a third of key worker employees […]
We must guard against resurgent extremism during pandemic crisis
“In chaos, they thrive: The resurgence of extremist and terrorist groups during the COVID-19 pandemic” By Ivano di Carlo, courtesy of EPC Since the outbreak of COVID-19, governments across the globe have been largely focused on fighting the pandemic. The virus, however, is not only affecting the health and socioeconomic security of citizens but […]
State rules stand in the way of social-distancing pharmacy kiosks
“Pharmacy Kiosks, a Form of Telepharmacy, Offer Convenience Along With Social Distancing” By Jeffrey A. Singer, courtesy of the Cato Institute Among the many new realizations derived from the COVID-19 pandemic is how telemedicine has been underutilized and can be a great way to bring health care to millions of people to whom access is otherwise […]
EU should cancel African debt to push back on Chinese influence
“Why the EU should take the lead in canceling Africa’s debt” By Loes Debuysere, courtesy of CEPS If the EU wants to live up to its recent ‘partnership of equals’ commitment to Africa, it should take the lead and urge the international community to cancel a part of Africa’s bilateral, multilateral and private debt […]
A Call for Reason: TES UK Correspondent Calum Nicholson on pandemic ethics
The Economic Standard’s UK correspondent, Calum Nicholson, recently published an insightful commentary, “Of course, we should do everything to stop Coronavirus. But maybe…”, questioning the received wisdom on pandemic response and calling for a public discussion of the tradeoffs involved in this kind of pandemic response, now and in future emergencies. With some […]
Corona downturn and NHS disruptions will hit elderly, low-income hardest
Courtesy of IFS The coronavirus pandemic poses clear and obvious dangers to the health of individuals who are infected with the virus. But worsening economic conditions and disruptions to NHS services will have important and far-reaching consequences for the health of the broader population. New briefings from researchers at the Institute for Fiscal […]
Coronavirus vaccine? Not so fast
“Optimism About a Speedy Coronavirus Vaccine Is Misplaced” By Henry I. Miller, courtesy of the Mercatus Center As the outbreak of the novel coronavirus continues to gain momentum in the United States, there is intense interest in the development of a vaccine. Several US drugmakers have begun working on a vaccine, independently […]
Don’t get VD (viral disinformation)
Writing for Business Insider, health policy communications thought leader Jove Oliver warns that in addition to the deadly threat of the virus, we face a related threat in the form of the cloud of disinformation and fake news emanating from obscure sources around the Internet. This misinformation can have deadly consequences itself, […]