Methods/Structure
Section 1 summarises evidence on recorded cases of the virus, deaths,
and excess deaths – all in the context of restrictions adopted. Section
2 turns to issues of interpretation focusing on how much of the slowdown
in the spread of the virus, and of deaths attributed to it, may have been due to
lockdowns and how much to the curve turning down independently of severe
restrictions. Section 3 summarises evidence from countries with
different policies and draws some conclusions on the scale of benefits
of the lockdown. Section 4 focuses on the costs of restrictive policies
to slow the spread of the infections; section 5 brings costs and
benefits together and section 6 considers policy options for coming out
of lockdown. Conclusions are drawn in a final section.