SUERF–BAFFI–CSH Webinar: “The fight against COVID-19—Effectiveness …”

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Abstract:

More than one year of COVID-containment measures have yielded a rich collection of practical experiences across the globe. The measures adopted evolved through learning-by-doing, also peer-learning played a role.

While containment measures were initially focusing on the preservation of public physical health (“whatever the cost”), tradeoffs with economic costs, civil liberties, children’s education and mental wellbeing moved increasingly in the focus later on. Furthermore, resource scarcity and challenges of their employment and distribution have substantially constrained the choice of containment decisions (initially masks, FFP2 masks, tests, vaccinations).

Finally, diminishing public acceptance of containment measures has influenced the effectiveness of measures over time. Bearing in mind that an assessment of “effectiveness” and “efficiency” requires a clear view on the underlying aim(s) of measures, this workshop provides an overview of existing state-of-the-art theoretical and empirical research as well as practical experiences of what has so far emerged to work best.

Themes:

• What does theory and empirical research tell us on the effectiveness and efficiency of various containment measures?
• What trade-offs are there between various containment goals, including over time, with respect to public health, economic effects, and public acceptance?
• What role have resource and logistical constraints played, what role do they still play (tests, vaccines)?
• What role does public acceptance of containment measures play in the choice of measures? How does public acceptance differ across countries, and why? How has acceptance evolved over time, and why? How to influence acceptance?
• What are the challenges going forward in 2021 and beyond, and how to deal with them effectively and efficiently?