The Editor’s Desk: Lockdown, PANDA, damned lies, & statistics

As lockdown restrictions continue to grind away at South Africa's economy – and daily life – many voices are challenging the government's management of the crisis. Some – like the group of actuaries calling themselves PANDA – have taken aim at government models that overestimated the Covid-19 death toll. Others, like economists at Stellenbosch University, are highlighting the steep economic costs of government rules like the booze ban and appealing for more balanced policy responses. In this episode, BizNews editor Jackie Cameron and I peel back the layers on the lockdown onion, looking at the new rules, the criticisms of government's approach, and some of the factors that must be balanced to get Covid-19 right. – Felicity Duncan

South Africa announced new restrictions this week, including a reimposition of the much-loathed booze ban. While medical professionals cheered the news – less drinking means fewer people in the emergency room – ordinary South Africans and economists were considerably less amused.

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