Response to the COVID-19: Understanding implications of government lockdown policies

The rising number of COVID-19 cases and economic implications of lockdown measures indicate the tricky balancing act policy makers face as they implement the subsequent phases of ?unlock?. We develop a model to examine how lockdown and social distancing measures have influenced the behavioral conduct of people. The current situation highlights that policy makers need to focus on bringing awareness and social restraint among people rather than going for stringent lockdown measures. We believe this work will help the policy makers gain insights into the troubled COVID-19 times ahead, and based on the estimates, they can frame policies to navigate these wild waves in the best possible way. (C) 2020 The Society for Policy Modeling. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study suggests that policy makers should focus on raising awareness and promoting social restraint, instead of implementing strict lockdown measures, to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.