It’s the virus that kills the economy, stupid

Comment: It’s not just restrictions, but fear and uncertainty created by high case numbers, that wreak havoc on all pillars of our society

Lockdowns and restrictions damage the economy, of course. But the virus, left unchecked, can damage the economy and society even more.

Why are our public health officials, medical professionals and scientists so singularly concerned with the rising Covid-19 numbers in Ireland? To paraphrase James Carville, it’s not just about health, “it’s the economy, stupid”.

Lockdowns and restrictions damage the economy, of course. But the virus, left unchecked, can damage the economy and society even more.

The problem is that a virus exists in the real world, while the economy does not. The economy exists in the ...