Rational policymaking during a pandemic

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 2021
Berger, Loic; Berger, Nicolas; Bosetti, Valentina; Gilboa, Itzhak; Hansen, Lars Peter; Jarvis, Christopher; Marinacci, Massimo; Smith, Richard D.
Abstract

Policymaking during a pandemic can be extremely challenging. As COVID-19 is a new disease and its global impacts are unprecedented, decisions are taken in a highly uncertain, complex, and rapidly changing environment. In such a context, in which human lives and the economy are at stake, we argue that using ideas and constructs from modern decision theory, even informally, will make policymaking a more responsible and transparent process.