Table 1 ncs-tf policy briefs (co-)written by economists (ncs-tf, n.d.b)
From: Economics and economists during the COVID-19 pandemic: a personal view
Title | Value judgements? bottom line? | Date published | Main field | Trade-offs discussed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Contact tracing costs | Benefits of contact tracing outweighs its costs | 24/04/2020 | Macro, public | Cost of contact tracing vs. Easing of lockdown/opening businesses |
Public matching payments for commercial rent abatements during the COVID-19 crisis | Proposal: government could match rent abatements to incentivize landlords not to dissolve rental contracts | 01/05/2020 | Public | |
Economic considerations of test-isolate-trace-quarantine (TITQ) | Federal government as a single-payer to incentivize testing. Quarantined people need to be financially and legally protected | 10/05/2020 | Public | Private and social costs and benefits of testing/isolating |
Comparison of Sweden and Switzerland | Comparison of economic and epidemiological indicators between Switzerland and Sweden | 13/05/2020 | Macro + oTF | Mandatory closures vs. Voluntary measures |
How to repay the government debt resulting from the COVID-19 crisis? | Proposal: Dept repayment over a longer time period than 6 years (i.e. 30 years) | 20/05/2020 | Public | Repaying debt swiftly vs. slowdown of economic activity due to spending cuts |
Disruption of the Swiss labour market: 2020 Corona crisis and 2008 Financial crisis compared | Short-term work for sectors that are affected long-term prolonged, but not permanently | 16/06/2020 | Labour | |
Digital proximity tracing—the view from economics | Different nudging recommendations and potential incentives to implement so that people install the app | 10/07/2020 | Behavioural + oTF | Overestimation of costs and underestimation of benefits from downloading the SwissCovid app |
Tackling weak investment with an adjustment to the COVID-19 credit programme | Proposal: COVID-19 credit programme to be prolonged and adjusted, such that the loans can also be used for investment, not just operational costs | 03/08/2020 | Macro, Public | Supporting investment vs. supporting non-viable projects (aka zombies)/risking federal budget deficits due to loan defaults |
Is there a health–wealth trade-off during the COVID-19 crisis? | Some interventions are necessary and economic recovery only possible with virus containment. Testing and quarantining more important than lockdowns, economic costs can be minimized through publicly funded support measures | 18/08/2020 | Macro | Health vs. wealth |
Widespread community spread of SARS-CoV-2 is damaging to health, society and the economy | Community infection would lead to massive damage to health, economy and society | 14/09/2020 | Entire TF | Health vs. wealth |
The rationale for a substantial increase in resources for contact tracing and testing | Proposal: federal funding (money and manpower) of an increase in testing capacity, make testing free for all, promote testing in the population | 26/10/2020 | Public | Costs of lockdown vs. costs of testing/contact tracing |
Estimating the economic costs of avoiding COVID-19 transmission through quarantine and testing of travellers arriving in Switzerland | Travel quarantine is expensive compared to contact tracing | 08/11/2020 | Macro | Economic activity through increased travel vs. more infections |
Support to businesses in the second COVID-19 wave 1 | Proposal to reactivate COVID-19 credits | 10/11/2020 | Public | Fiscal support to capital owners vs. keeping alive non-viable firm |
Warum aus gesamtwirtschaftlicher Sicht weitgehende gesundheitspolitische Massnahmen in der aktuellen lage sinnvoll sind | Health measures should be continued (but are only needed for a limited time), as their benefits outweigh the costs in economic terms | 19/01/2021 | Macro | Health vs. wealth |
Die wirtschaftlichen Vorteile einer beschleunigten Impfkampagne | Speeding up vaccination campaign has large benefits (at least CHF 25Mio for advancing start by one day) | 15/03/2021 | Macro | |
Auswirkung des Zertifikats auf das Gastgewerbe | Estimates of economic impact of COVID-19 certificates on restaurants | 08/11/2021 | Labour, Business | Effect of certificates on restaurants/bars |