Be it resolved, there is no scenario for reopening the economy that prioritizes economic growth over public health.

As the global struggle to contain COVID-19 continues, timelines for lockdowns and social distancing measures keep inching forward. In the midst of this new reality, countries are grappling with how to secure both public health and a stalled economy. Some U.S. economists argue that prolonged national shutdowns are too extreme a policy response that risk doing permanent, long-term damage to the economy. Others warn that ending strict social controls too early needlessly puts lives at risk, could prolong the epidemic and cause an even worse economic disaster.