The world faces a coronavirus pandemic that has reached dramatic edges in some countries and regions. The risks of its rapid dissemination increase in the context of globalization, development and the reduction of prices in air transport. As a far unknown virus, a vaccine has not yet been achieved to neutralize it. The number of people affected and killed in Italy and Spain has reached values that, although they do not reach those of historical cases such as yellow fever, Spanish influenza or polio, have exceeded the response of their current health systems. Media and Social Networks made the world aware of cases where doctors had to decide who they let die. In our time these situations are not conceivable. This explains the lack of foresight and preparation of health systems and the consequent improvisation. On the other hand, it allows us to understand the rapid expansion of manifestations of fear and even panic, spread to almost the entire planet.
In these circumstances, rulers and politicians are given social pressure and most of them process it in a way that maintains their political support and avoids taking future blame for incapacity or lack of foresight. They are generally driven by benefits rather than costs, which are perceived later.
Libertad y Progreso believes that prevention measures against the arrival of coronavirus in Argentina should not be delayed, but should be evaluated and designed taking into account the minimization of its economic and social negative effects. Failure to properly structure these measures can cause irreversible harm to productive people and activities. Particularly when they must be prolonged by the long times needed to defeat the epidemic. Thus, mandatory quarantines, the closure of external and internal borders, the suspension of banking operations, for example, leave hundreds of thousands of families without income and result in job losses and bankruptcy of ventures. The health of many people will surely resent these effects.
Intermediate paths should be sought to alleviate economic and social damage without significantly reducing the health objective. The private sector should multiply test posts. With better information, quarantines, where they are not strictly necessary, should be lifted or made easier. Given the resource needs of the health crisis and since there are no extra funds available for the current contingency, action should be taken to reduce public spending in non-priority areas. For example, reducing the wages of public employees and hierarchical staff who do not perform tasks because of the isolation imposed. They will have savings by not having to mobilize to their jobs and the state will have more resources to deal with the current emergency. For the same purpose, those in political office in the state should resign a portion of their income. In short, this could alleviate the suffering of much of the population in the face of the impossibility of normally developing the activities with which their income is sought.
Libertad y Progreso Foundation accompanies and supports this fight. Believes that it can and should contribute to it by working on the analysis and proposals to achieve the best results in the face of the pandemic and society as a whole.
