OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
This series compiles data, analysis and recommendations on a range of topics to address the health, economic and societal crisis, facilitate co-ordination, and contribute to the necessary global action when confronting this enormous collective challenge. Bringing together policy responses spanning a large range of topics, from health to education and taxes, it provides guidance on the short-term measures in affected sectors and a specific focus on the vulnerable sectors of society and the economy. The content also aims to provide analysis on the longer-term consequences and impacts, steering the way towards a strong, resilient, green and inclusive recovery with co-ordinated policy responses across countries.
Also available in: French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese
- ISSN: 27080676 (online)
- https://doi.org/10.1787/5b0fd8cd-en
Testing for COVID-19: A way to lift confinement restrictions
This policy brief discusses the role of testing for COVID 19 as part of any plan to lift confinement restrictions and prepare for a possible new wave of viral infections. If all confinement restrictions are lifted before a vaccine or effective treatments are developed without other measures to suppress new infections, the infection rate is expected to rebound rapidly. Crucially, quick suppression of infections requires testing more people to identify who is infected; tracking them to make sure they do not spread the disease further; and tracing with whom they have been in contact. This brief discusses how testing strategies can be used to achieve three main goals: suppressing the resurgence of local outbreaks, identifying people who have developed some form of immunity and can safely return to work and gaining intelligence on the evolution of the epidemic, including on when a threshold for herd immunity has been reached. The brief discusses what tests can be used for each goal, as well as practical implementation issues with testing strategies, including the opportunities and risks of using digital tools in this context.
Also available in: Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese
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