Potential Influenza Pandemic : Possible Macroeconomic Effects and Policy Issues

An assessment of the possible macroeconomic effects of an avian flu. The assessment concludes that a pandemic involving a highly virulent flu strain (such as the one that caused the pandemic in 1918) could produce a short-run impact on the worldwide economy similar in depth & duration to that of an average postwar recession in the U.S. Most of the pandemics of the past involved much milder strains; an outbreak of that kind would have a much smaller economic impact, which might be indistinguishable in the macroeconomic data. Also describes the current state of preparedness for addressing a possible pandemic & options for increasing the nation's preparedness. However, this document contains no recommendations.Holtz-Eakin, Douglas is the author of 'Potential Influenza Pandemic : Possible Macroeconomic Effects and Policy Issues', published 2006 under ISBN 9781422304006 and ISBN 1422304000.