A working paper from Barro et al about the potential effects of the coronavirus on mortality and economic activity. I learnt of the paper via Tim Taylor’s blog. Quick points of note below:

• Their estimate is of 39 million deaths, while Laura Spinney says anywhere between 50 million to a 100 million. Basically, we don’t know – but a lot!
• I learnt of this data source. India is missing, but there is still a lot to learn.
• Assuming they get their 39 million number right, they say that India saw 16 million deaths. About 43% of all deaths worldwide, as per their estimate.
• Roughly 1/3rd of the world got the flu. 2% mortality rate of all people on the planet, 6% of those who got it.
• Below is the conclusion from their regression analyses:

Further, this death rate corresponds in our regression analysis to declines in the typical country by 6 percent for GDP and 8 percent for consumption. These economic declines are comparable to those last seen during the global Great
Recession of 2008-2009. The results also suggest substantial short-term declines in real returns on stocks and short-term government bills. Thus, the possibility exists not only for unprecedented numbers of deaths but also for major global economic dislocation

This is a working paper, subject to change, and the data is unreliable at best. But the bootom line is that this will at least be as bad as 2008-2009 in terms of economics, maybe worse. And let’s hope and pray that given our capability to deal with health issues, relative to 1918, our mortality rates are nowhere near as bad.

Social distancing matters.