ASU economist calls for 2-pronged strategy to overcome virus outbreak

May 7, 2020, 4:05 AM

(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University)

PHOENIX — An Arizona State University economist believes embracing a two-pronged strategy could help the state begin recovering from the coronavirus outbreak.

Dennis L. Hoffman, director of the L. William Seidman Research Institute at the W. P. Carey School of Business, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gaydos and Chad on Wednesday that sequestering at-risk populations and embracing herd immunity are both crucial for a successful recovery.

“I refuse to accept this horrible choice: Do we either embrace the economy or do we stay in our rabbit holes and save lives?” Hoffman said.

Hoffman called for safeguarding high-risk individuals — especially the elderly — with targeted COVID-19 relief aid that would keep them isolated from the virus.

The aid would fund daily testing for long-term care staff and triple their wages so that they could temporarily reside at the facilities where they care for residents, thereby limiting potential exposures.

“It would help the rest of us deal with this disease the way nature would have individuals deal with diseases like this,” Hoffman said.

“With an everybody-isolated strategy, how in the world are we developing any herd immunity to this thing?”

Hoffman believes the success of the current coronavirus approach is too dependent upon a vaccine being made available this fall. Given the unlikelihood of that scenario, he believes an alternative approach is necessary.

“If we’re confronted with a second wave coming back and there’s no immediate cure and no immediate vaccine, why not try something different?”

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