Lives vs livelihoods: The case for the 80/20 model

THE highly infectious nature of the novel coronavirus has created a unique and global healthcare challenge for all policymakers since the beginning of 2020. After many weeks of a tight lockdown (or "circuit breaker", as Singapore has termed it), governments are cautiously reopening their economies, mindful of the need to minimise risks of triggering any new waves of infection.

While researchers and scientists are diligently working on creating the vaccines or medicines for Covid-19, it is quite clear to policymakers that the creation, manufacture and large-scale distribution of such counters are, optimistically, at least 18 to 24 months away. Till then, physical distancing, widespread use of masks, and personal and hand hygiene, though seemingly old-fashioned, remain the only measures we have to reduce new infections.

At the same time, rigorous testing, contact tracing and isolation will prevent further spread in the population. Hard lockdowns that we have seen in some countries have certainly reduced infection numbers but have also knocked out economies to a level never seen before. In the United States alone, job losses have crossed 40 million. In Singapore, layoffs could mount to about 100,000, especially in the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) segment, and many sectors may be permanently impaired if they are not provided with a continued lifeline of some sort.