Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/216425 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 13113
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
The UK is 'locked down' because of coronavirus (COVID-19). No clear exit strategy currently exists. This paper suggests a possible way forward that combines elements from economics and epidemiology. The paper proposes as a policy a 'release' from lockdown of the young cohort of UK citizens aged between age 20 and 30 who do not live with parents. The paper calculates that there are approximately 4.2 million UK individuals who fall into this 20-30 ageband and who live outside the original parental home. Of those, 2.6 million work in the private sector, so unless some corrective action is taken they are likely to be extremely harshly affected, financially, when compared to employees in the public sector. The paper argues that a young-workforce release of this kind would lead to substantial economic and societal benefits without enormous health costs to the country. In this way, the nation might begin to move forward in the footsteps of the young. The paper's key concept could in principle be implemented in other countries.
Subjects: 
coronavirus
labor market
recession
COVID-19
JEL: 
I18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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