In the middle of March, when the pandemic was still in its early phases in most countries, the director of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, very clearly stated what would be the key element in the fight against the pandemic: “Test, test, test.” Almost a year later, with the impressive progress in developing vaccines against COVID-19, part of … [Read more...] about Can Antibody Tests Help Save Millions of Doses of Vaccine?
Ernesto Stein
Ernesto Stein is the IDB Representative in Mexico. Previously he was a Principal Economist at the IDB’s Research Department, the IDB’s Regional Economic Advisor in the Country Department of Belize, Central America, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic, and a Growth Fellow at Harvard University’s Center for International Development. He has published extensively on issues of international trade and integration, foreign direct investment, productive development policies, institutional economics and political economy. A native of Argentina, he holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.
The Importance of Policies to Actively Seek Out COVID-19 Cases in Marginalized Neighborhoods
One notable characteristic of Covid-19 is that, outside China, it began by affecting the more prosperous segments of the population. In Latin America, the majority of people who were infected initially came from Europe and the United States. Argentina—and especially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires—was no exception. As of March 12, the city's 15 confirmed cases had come from … [Read more...] about The Importance of Policies to Actively Seek Out COVID-19 Cases in Marginalized Neighborhoods
Has the Pandemic Peaked in Latin American Countries?
For a recent report on ending lockdowns in Latin America, our colleagues here at the Inter-American Development Bank collected recommendations from different international organizations (including the World Health Organization and the European Commission), governments, and think tanks on how and when to begin reopening economies. Although there are important differences … [Read more...] about Has the Pandemic Peaked in Latin American Countries?
How the Public Sector Can Coordinate Increasing Domestic Production of the Supplies Crucial for Handling Covid-19
One of the biggest problems faced by developing countries in handling the pandemic has been shortages of equipment and supplies for diagnostic testing of the population suspected of infection; for treating patients with the most severe infections; and for protecting healthcare workers. As the number of Covid-19 cases has increased, countries are demanding more medical equipment … [Read more...] about How the Public Sector Can Coordinate Increasing Domestic Production of the Supplies Crucial for Handling Covid-19
Coronavirus: The Logic of Serological Testing
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post for this blog discussing the Imperial College’s COVID-19 model, the model that has had the most significant impact on the public policy response to this virus. The post looked at the consequences—terrifying, for sure—of doing nothing, along with the impact of a series of mitigation and suppression policies on demand for hospitals and on the death … [Read more...] about Coronavirus: The Logic of Serological Testing