Economists Propose Ending Lockdowns by Releasing the Young First
- Warwick researchers say workers in their 20s could resume jobs
- Older employees are more vulnerable and would stay home
A woman in a mask walks past a mural in Midtown New York City, April 22.
Photographer: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
As global governments grapple with how to unlock economies without triggering another round of coronavirus infections, some economists are recommending that age should be used to determine who returns to work first.
While the freezing of activity from Mumbai to Chicago is credited with saving lives, the downsides are evident in the International Monetary Fund’s warning of the worst global recession in almost a century.
How to balance lives and livelihoods is drawing the attention of economists, and a growing cohort propose authorities should first remove restrictions on those deemed at lowest risk of death or hospital admittance from the infection.