The presentation reviews some of the key findings and policy insights from the presenter’s co-authored papers in relation to COVID-19. Key findings are provided in relation to: (1) estimated cross-country true (population) infection rate; (2) possible national economic costs with different stringencies of mandated social distancing; (3) possible pay-offs with ‘go early, go hard’ (and of sufficient duration) ‘lockdowns’; and (4) a public health and economic evaluation of the ‘Swedish Model’.

Quentin Grafton is a Professor of Economics and Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow at the Crawford School of Public Policy, the Australian National University. He is a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and a Distinguished Fellow of the Australasian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society. He has an abiding interest in applied economic problems and over the past year has co-authored (with economists, modellers and public health experts) several papers in relation to COVID-19.