World Bank’s ex chief economist, Lawrence H Summers, commended Pakistan for successfully containing the virus, by way of its strategy. He believes the United States could have saved close to $10 trillion had it followed a similar trajectory.
On the show “Fareed Zakaria GPS”, in conversation with CNN, Summer said: “Heck, if the US had handled the pandemic as well as Pakistan, we would have saved in neighborhood of $10 trillion.”
He also tweeted about the need for greater testing systems and the urgency with which they should be prioritized.
“The costs of an expanded testing system are trivial compared to the costs of tens of thousands of early deaths. Expanding testing should be a matter of utmost urgency,” tweeted Summers.
Summers further suggested investing in renewing infrastructure, supporting state and local governments and helping the unemployed. He believes the United States has disoriented priorities.
So far, the US has recorded more than 8.35 million cases, 224,389 deaths, and over five million recoveries from the coronavirus.
Previously, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation (WHO)’s chief also lauded Pakistan for successfully suppressing the virus while keeping the economy afloat.
Pakistan’s response reinforces “the lesson that the choice is not between controlling the virus or saving the economy; the two go hand-in-hand”, the WHO chief added.
