Mitigating COVID-19 With Lockdowns: A Possible Exit Strategy

4 Pages Posted: 30 Mar 2020

See all articles by Rakesh Sarwal

Rakesh Sarwal

Independent

Tanvi Sarwal

Maulana Azad Medical College

Date Written: March 29, 2020

Abstract

Lockdown is now accepted as an effective public health measure of prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1 billion people have been asked to stay home in over 50 countries and territories. There is little clarity on the optimal duration of a lockdown and how to strategize easing of restrictions without igniting a subsequent round of outbreak.

Lockdown involves hard choices and challenging to maintain essential services. Lockdowns do not offer a lasting solution, while a three-week lockdown is insufficient to prevent a resurgence.

We explore an exit strategy from lockdowns based on the natural history of Coronavirus. We add value to the concept of intermittent social distancing by adding a “localization” strategy after 14 days of lockdown within externally quarantined areas in which normal economic and educational activity can be resumed. We call it “COVID-Free, Externally Quarantined Territories” or CF-EQT.

Keywords: COVID-19, quarantine, health policy

Suggested Citation

Sarwal, Rakesh and Sarwal, Tanvi, Mitigating COVID-19 With Lockdowns: A Possible Exit Strategy (March 29, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3563538 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3563538

Rakesh Sarwal (Contact Author)

Independent ( email )

No Address Available
India

Tanvi Sarwal

Maulana Azad Medical College

India

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