Economist highlights difference between 'ability' and 'willingness' to reopen economy amid pandemic

Mohamed El-Erian.
(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/CBS)

The debate about which sectors of the economy are able to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic doesn't exist in a vacuum.

While there are certain policies and mitigation efforts in place that could allow businesses to reopen more safely, Mohamed El-Erian, the chief economic adviser for Allianz, said Sunday that "you're not going to see a quick recovery in all sectors" because individuals just won't be ready to participate in the economy on a pre-pandemic scale as long as they harbor concerns about their own health.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.