Common Problems, Shared Solutions
The global effect of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic seems to be spiraling. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) daily pandemic report shows that as of 16:00 on May 7 (Beijing time), more than 3.72 million cases had been reported globally. The death toll exceeded 260,000. These numbers are not mere figures. They involve lives and families and bring profound sadness to millions of households across the world who have lost their loved ones.
Among all the affected countries, the U.S. has set a grim record: the highest confirmed coronavirus death toll in the world. As of May 7, the U.S. had reported more than 1.22 million confirmed cases, with the death toll exceeding 73,000. In some cities the numbers are doubling every 2-3 days, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Compared to wars and disasters that the majority of living Americans can remember, this pandemic is on pace to set a new death record.
The COVID-19 pandemic is clearly not just a public health crisis. Preventative measures such as social distancing, school closures, lockdowns and production suspension are causing economic pain worldwide. According to the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the COVID-19 shock will cause a recession in some countries and could depress global annual growth this year to below 2.5 percent, the recessionary threshold for the world economy. There is little disagreement among economists on the assumption that
