As nations around the world prepare to reopen businesses and other services after months of social distancing, scientists, economists, and ethicists are concerning themselves with the steps in that process.
The Berman Institute of Bioethics and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University released a draft report[1] that presents a multifaceted approach to reopening the authors describe as a “trade-off” between several perspectives. The purpose of the report is to present an analysis that provides authorities with an idea of how certain policies may resonate and which policies would be either ethically acceptable or in need of tweaking.
“The framework developed here is specifically designed to aid government decision-makers at the state and local levels,” the authors stated. “Aspects of the framework may also be useful for decision-makers in a variety of private-sector institutions, including manufacturers, retailers, houses of worship, and private schools and universities.”[2]
The report is split up into seven steps covering themes such as the legitimacy of the process in the eyes of all stakeholders; how freedom of movement and association tie into the process; and a look at select policies that could be considered by state and federal governments.