The United States has the means not only to arrest current negative public-health and economic dynamics but also to transform them into a virtuous cycle. But this will require sustained and simultaneous efforts in four areas.
LAGUNA BEACH – As excited as we all understandably are about the arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccines, the immediate road ahead remains treacherous. The United States, in particular, could be on the verge of a horrible scenario in which ongoing slippages in each of four areas – public health, the economy, policy, and household behavior – end up making those in the other areas even worse. Over the next few weeks, they risk setting in motion a vicious cycle that, if it materializes, could shatter the lives and livelihoods of many more people, even though vaccines are in sight.
LAGUNA BEACH – As excited as we all understandably are about the arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccines, the immediate road ahead remains treacherous. The United States, in particular, could be on the verge of a horrible scenario in which ongoing slippages in each of four areas – public health, the economy, policy, and household behavior – end up making those in the other areas even worse. Over the next few weeks, they risk setting in motion a vicious cycle that, if it materializes, could shatter the lives and livelihoods of many more people, even though vaccines are in sight.