Answer to Question #156132 in Political Science for Noluvuyo

Question

Critically examine the social,Economic,Political and Medical impact of the covid-19 pandemic on south Africa's state and society. In your view what are the contestation's surrounding corona virus as a medical emergency

Answer 1

South Africa’s economic fortunes are currently closely tied to the Covid-19 pandemic brought on by the novel coronavirus. The lockdown measures that South Africa has put into place to contain the virus have profound economic implications. The implications of the pandemic in the rest of the world, and hence on demand for South Africa’s export, are not as large as the effects of the domestic lockdown but are still very large by any normal measure.

Even the ‘Quick’ recovery scenario results in a GDP decline of about 5 per cent by the end of 2020— an economic outcome that would have been considered catastrophically bad a little more than one month ago. Instead, that outcome now looks optimistic. Rather, the effects of the Covid-19 look more likely to persist bringing outcomes for GDP closer to those described in ‘Slow’ and ‘Long’.

Beyond describing economic impacts, at least two important policy conclusions emerge from this analysis. First, South Africa’s transfer programs to low income households are providing critical support to the most vulnerable in this time of crisis. Efforts to maintain these payments will significantly reduce the burdens placed on low income households. Second, Because the policies imposed to contain the coronavirus have enormous economic implications, coordination of epidemiological containment policies and economic policies designed to partially blunt negative economic implications of the containment policies is a good idea.

References:

https://sa-tied.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/SA-TIED-WP-111.pdf