When it comes to the intersectionality of public health and economics, it’s complex to try to assign which is more instrumental in the wellbeing of a nation, or has more value compared to the other in an ecosystem that thrives on the interconnectivity between different sectors. A few months ago, if you had asked me what sector played a bigger role, without hesitation I would have sided with the economy. It is commonly known that health care performance is very dependent on the country’s economy, but COVID-19 is a wakeup call that the economy only works on the back of a strong public health system.

Over the past 3 months, COVID-19 has continued to spread with over 1 million cases confirmed worldwide and over 55,000 deaths. As most countries’ economies are on hold the old age question of health vs economy is being tested once more. For now, there is a shared belief that health should be the priority. As recent as last week in the Washington Post, Bill gates suggested a 10-week mandatory stay home, to allow the health care system to identify, test, isolate, and treat before resuming any economic activity. 

Given these unique circumstances probably for the first time, we are having to evaluate the health sector as an independent variable from the economy and at least for now, the only chance for the economy to resume will depend on how effective the health sector responds to the growing need to control COVID-19. Therefore, this is a very delicate role for policymakers to strike a balance between a total shutdown to contain the virus, or partial shutdown to save the economy even though it might be at the cost of people’s lives. Every scenario has its challenges, every decision taken in one domain will affect conditions in the other, but at the end of the day, priorities will be made to protect lives at stake or the economy.

Currently, different countries, international organisations, central banks, and other institutions are implementing policies and measures to support economic activities, but if lockdown measures are not enforced, economic activities would only fuel the crisis. I do not want to ignore the economic emergency facing the world, but focusing on containing the virus soon is what will save the economy from entering the predicted recession. Therefore, no matter how hard it is to balance the public health and the economy, at the end of the day nothing justifies sacrificing lives to save the economy. 

According to the Managing Director of International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, prioritising containment of COVID19 and strengthening health systems everywhere is vital for the global economy to recover in 2021.

Therefore, it is not a question of whether or not the global economy is going to recover because it will eventually. Though, to fully contain this crisis, no measure or resource must be spared in the effort to prioritise public health interests.