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IDEA anti COVID-19 recommends investments in tracing and testing capacity

11 June, 2020

The CERGE-EI researchers involved in the "IDEA anti COVID-19" group have introduced a set of recommendations to be taken in order to reduce the risk of an uncontrolled spread of coronavirus for the upcoming weeks and months. The recommendations for the Czech authorities are based on the facts specific for the Czech Republic and on the experience from the countries that are successful in the prevention of further major outbreaks of the infection. 

According to the authors of the text "Building capacity and preparing for the worst is sound economic policy: Recommendations for the coming weeks and months", the Czech Republic needs to invest further in tools that will enable the monitoring of the spread of coronavirus and stop it faster. It is the cheapest and most effective way to protect the health of the population and the economy.

The authors also point out that in order to mitigate the economic effects of infection, it is essential that people's consumer behavior is not hampered by the fear of infection.

 "Investments in testing and tracing capacities are extremely cheap compared to the cost of further lockdowns, which could cost several hundred billion crowns in economic output—not even counting the loss of lives and economic and political confidence they would entail," the authors of the recommendation said.