OECD urges rich nations to share vaccines to even-up growth

‘A leading international economic watchdog urged developed countries to put more effort into providing low-income countries with coronavirus vaccines in order to ensure that the global recovery from the pandemic is more even.

‘In its latest assessment of the state of the global economy, the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Tuesday that the global recovery from the shock of the pandemic is faster than it anticipated a year ago. Though the global economy has more than recouped the 3.4% output lost in 2020, it cautioned that the recovery is “uneven.”

Read here (Associated Press, Sept 21, 2021)

Skills lost due to COVID-19 school closures will hit output for generations: OECD

‘Disruption to schooling stemming from the COVID-19 epidemic will cause a skill loss that could result in a 1.5 per cent drop in global economic output for the rest of this century, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development estimated.

‘For the United States, that will represent an economic loss of US$15.3 trillion, the OECD said in a report published on Tuesday (Sep 8), with the bill rising higher still if disruption to education extends into the next academic year.’ 

Read here (Channel News Asia, Sept 8, 2020)

For the record -- Beyond containment: Health systems responses to COVID-19 in the OECD

‘Health systems are facing the most serious global pandemic crisis in a century. Containing and mitigating the spread and infection rate of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the first priority of public health authorities to distribute the number of infections over time and, if possible, reduce the incidence of the disease it causes (COVID-19). However, beyond containment, additional measures - operational, financial, and R&D - are needed to provide effective patient care and reduce the pressure on health systems to manageable levels. The main focus of this brief is on the policies aimed at providing effective care and managing the pressure on health systems.

‘Four key measures health systems are putting in place in response to the epidemic are considered: 1) ensuring access of the vulnerable to diagnostics and treatment; 2) strengthening and optimising health system capacity to respond to the rapid increase in caseloads; 3) how to leverage digital solutions and data to improve surveillance and care; and 4) how to improve R&D for accelerated development of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.’

https://oecd.dam-broadcast.com/pm_7379_119_119689-ud5comtf84.pdf

Download here (OECD, April 16, 2020)