Towards a Model of Optimal Social Distancing During a Pandemic

The approach to reducing the current harm from the COVID-19 disease is to mandate or encourage an array of social distancing behaviors. These behaviors have the negative effects of reducing GDP, personal incomes, and increasing unemployment leading to calls for opening up the economy and thereby reducing social distancing. This makes more sense to do in developing economies which lack the private and public safety nets to compensate for the lost income. However, if this opening-up policy is followed, we suggest that social distancing be maintained at the level that minimizes deaths.