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Lockdown vs Economy
#1
I read this article about how avoiding a lockdown didn't help Sweden with preserving their economy ( https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articl...-trade-off) I live in India and i was thinking whether this is applicable in India, where there are millions of daily wage workers and a huge unorganised sector. Is the trade off between lockdown and the economy applicable here? What are your thoughts?
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#2
I think you raise a really good question here. Though, a sharp initial spike is usually expected once lockdown eases and residents are able to restart their daily activities, India has shown no signs of slowing down. Can we even say that India has reached it peak yet? But when you compare Sweden's economy to the Indian economy, you have to note that India can't simply afford the lockdown. I would like to quote Gautam Menon, a professor and researcher on models of infectious diseases, who says "It's certainly time to lift the lockdown," "Beyond a point, it's hard to sustain a lockdown that has gone on for so long - economically, socially and psychologically." Moreover, from day one, India's lockdown came at a huge cost, especially since so many of its people live on a daily wage or close to it. It put food supply chains at risk, cost millions their livelihood, and throttled every kind of business - from car manufacturers to high-end fashion to the corner shop selling tobacco. As the economy sputtered and unemployment rose, India's growth forecast tumbled to a 30-year-low.

I think lockdowns are fantastic, they have inhibited growth in many countries and I applaud India for the way they quickly imposed the lockdown. But, now it will be interesting to see how they manage the lockdown, from wearing masks to maintaining social distancing. Therefore, the easing of the lockdown seems plausible only if India is able to restrain the public especially in the lower educated areas on the importance of social distancing and hygiene. I think only time will tell what happens next?
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