Blog Series – Covid-19: Stories, Insights and Perspectives Georges Benjamin

By Corrinne Fahl

Over the last several months, the COVID-19 epidemic has thrown a devastating blow to the world with unflinching speed, sickening millions of people and killing thousands, while shuttering businesses and costing jobs.

The “outbreak of pneumonia of an unknown cause” was first reported in Wuhan, China on Dec. 31, 2019, and was in the U.S. by mid-January. Since then, the virus named COVID-19 has resulted in nearly 90,000 deaths and 1.5 million stricken in the United States. The economic burden on the country has also been staggering. More than 36 million Americans filed unemployment claims in two months, numbers unseen since the Great Depression of 1929.

States are maintaining a public health focus by maintaining social distancing and other containment strategies while hospitals care for increasing numbers of patients amid calls for more supplies and equipment such as ventilators. That focus right now is crucial as a step to curtail the growing number of deaths while researchers work feverishly to discover needed antiviral therapeutics and a COVID-19 vaccine. Such discoveries may take months for therapeutics and years for a vaccine.

Physical distancing is working to reduce the health burden on the health care system and reducing death and disability but at a high economic cost.  This economic burden has prompted nearly every state to lift stay at home orders and some restrictions on public places have been eased. Yet that poses the risk of increased disease and deaths as people re-mingle, for the potential of economic returns.

This tradeoff is now the debate of the day.

To be sure, having customers would be a welcome sight for many business owners, eager to welcome shoppers or restaurant patrons. But it’s a false argument that such a scenario is a sure way to economic recovery. It bodes for the potential of more trouble in states and cities where disease control, levels of testing, contract tracing capacity and health care delivery capacity do not meet appropriate thresholds for safe societal reopening.

But the economy is not the only tradeoff. We are also increasing the number of people without adequate resources to pay their basis bills, have food insecurity, at risk for loss of shelter. Added to that is the potential of domestic violence, behavioral health problems and delays in urgent and preventive health care needs; just to name a few.

In short, we are increasing not only the negative impacts of the social determinates of health but we are also escalating health disparities; affecting the same population that has suffered the worse health impacts already from this pandemic. 

Addressing the dual challenges of saving lives and our economy cannot be done in a haphazard way. It requires a sound national plan that addresses both problems in a coordinated way. It also requires strong consistent leadership coupled with adequate and targeted support to stabilize the economy while we aggressively address the health threat. A science based and data driven approach is essential.

 

This pandemic may be around for a while and its impacts felt for years. We should get it right by optimizing health and the economy and not pit one against the other. We do have to be sure we are not creating false choices – sustaining economy at the expense of our health. This is a health emergency and the fastest way to reestablish a vibrant economy is to resolve the health crisis. Indeed, the physical health and economic health shouldn’t be at odds.

Only by developing a significant public health strategy can we begin to rebuild the economy.

Georges C. Benjamin, MD, MACP, FACEP (E), FNAPA, Executive Director, American Public Health Association