Introduction: Covid-19 and the importance of choice in smart decision-making

Morris Altman, Hannah Altman and Louise Lamontagne

Chapter 1 in How to Manage Covid-19 and Other Pandemics, 2026, pp 1-14 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter introduces and summarizes the book's central findings. It challenges the dominant belief that extreme lockdowns were the best way to manage Covid-19, arguing instead that well-designed soft policies often achieved similar—or better—outcomes with far fewer social and economic harms. The book shows the stark costs of hard lockdowns: deep recessions, mental health crises, rising poverty, and educational setbacks. By contrast, countries that pursued targeted measures—like strategic mask use, improved hygiene, selective distancing, and protection for vulnerable groups—controlled the virus effectively without devastating livelihoods. The false binary of ‘lockdowns or mass death’ ignored these alternatives. The authors explore how fear, misinformation, and political pressures shaped decisions that overlooked more balanced strategies. This chapter sets the stage for the book's broader argument: smarter, evidence-driven responses that protect both health and societal well-being are not only possible but crucial for future crises.

Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic policy; Smart decision-making; Lockdown alternatives; Public health strategy; Evidence-based choices; Soft policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781802204421
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.elgaronline.com/doi/10.4337/9781802204438.00006 (application/pdf)
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 403 Forbidden

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:21144_1

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.e-elgar.com

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Jack Sweeney ().