57Received 15.06.2023. Revised 20.08.2023. Accepted 09.10.2023.
Abstract. In March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus has reached the stage of a pandemic. With over 700 million cases of the disease and close to 7 million deaths recorded through May 2023 it turned out to have become the most disastrous pandemic after the Spanish flu of 1918–1919. It had a severe impact on all spheres of human life. In addition to having caused a huge stress of the public health care systems, it affected the functioning of the political and economic systems of all countries. This paper provides an analysis of economic and political consequences of the pandemic, gives an overview of its human toll, and discusses the unresolved issue of SARS-CoV-2 origin. The economic consequences of the pandemic, including reduction in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), trade and travel, growth in unemployment rate, etc. were quite significant. Political aspects included the ability of the countries’ leadership to provide a justified, solid and well-coordinated response to the threat as well as trust in the activities of a government on behalf of citizens. Not all politicians were able to meet the high standards of performance in the emergency situation. Unwillingness of western countries to acknowledge the efficacy of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine is an example of political and economic controversies between states. The probability of the occurrence of similar pandemics in the future is rather high. Utilizing the lessons learned from the COVID-19, scaling up the investments in the diseases surveillance and response systems, in hospital preparedness as well as in scientific research and vaccines development along with international cooperation, transparency and information sharing between countries on the above issues is crucial for facilitating the pandemic response in the future and avoiding the challenges encountered during the COVID-19 crisis of 2020–2023.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, economic and political aspects, vaccines development, prevention of potential threats, biosecurity
REFERENCES
1. Maizuls M. The History of Plague. Arzamas, 29.04.2020. (In Russ.) Available at: https://arzamas.academy/mag/823-plague (accessed 31.05.2023).
2. Haidong W. et al. Estimating excess mortality due to the COVID‑19 pandemic: a systematic analysis of COVID‑19-related mortality, 2020–2021. The Lancet, 2022, vol. 399, iss. 10334, pp. 1513-1536. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02796-3
3. Davis H.E., McCorkell L., Vogel J.M. et al. Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations. Nat Rev Microbiol, 2023, vol. 21, pp. 133-146. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00846-2
4. Gronvall G.K. The Contested Origin of SARS-CoV‑2. Survival, 2021, vol. 63, iss. 6, pp. 7-36. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00396338.2021.2006442
5. Worobey M. et al. The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan was the early epicenter of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Science, 2022, vol. 377, iss. 6609, pp. 951-959. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abp8715
6. Maxmen A. WHO report into COVID pandemic origins zeroes in on animal markets, not labs. Nature, 2021, vol. 592, pp. 173-174. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-00865-8
7. Mallapaty S. WHO abandons plans for crucial second phase of COVID-origins investigation. Nature, 03.03.2023. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00283-y
8. Kaur A., Diamond D. FBI director says COVID‑19 ‘most likely’ originated from lab incident. The Washington Post, 28.02.2023. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/02/28/fbi-director-christopher-wray-wuhan-lab/ (accessed 31.05.2023).
9. Lenharo M., Wolf L. US COVID-origins hearing renews debate over lab-leak hypothesis. Nature, 2023, vol. 615, pp. 380-381. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00701-1
10. Gopinath G. The Great Lockdown: Worst Economic Downturn since the Great Depression. IMF Blog, 14.04.2020. Available at: https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2020/04/14/blog-weo-the-great-lockdown-worst-economic-downturn-since-the-great-depression (accessed 31.05.2023).
11. Bradsher K. China’s Economy Stumbled Last Year with Covid Lockdowns Hobbling Growth. The New York Times, 18.01.2023. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/16/business/china-gdp-fourth-quarter-2022.html?campaign_id=154&emc=edit_cb_20230118&instance_id=83038&nl=virus-briefing®i_id=136717107&segment_id=122857&te=1&user_id=2e236fe71ee9b5668459cabbdc0defe2 (accessed 31.05.2023).
12. Bonotti M., Zech S. The Human, Economic, Social, and Political Costs of COVID‑19. National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, 03.03.2021. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6706-7_1
13. Malygina A.A., Zavriev S.K. Cooperation prospects in Eurasian region in the context of the biological weapons convention. World Economy and International Relations, 2022, vol. 22, no. 10, pp. 34-44. (In Russ.) Available at: https://doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2022-66-10-34-44
14. Lebedeva M.M. The influence of COVID‑19 pandemic on the world politics. Bulletin of MGIMO-University, 2022, no. 15 (1), pp. 92-110. (In Russ.) Available at: https://doi.org/10.24833/2071-8160-2022-1-82-92-110
15. Torkunov A.V., Ryazantsev S.V., Levashov V.K., eds. ÑOVID‑19 Pandemic: Challenges, Consequences, Counteraction. Moscow, Aspekt-Press, 2021. 249 p. (In Russ.)
16. Fancourt D., Steptoe A., Wright L. The Cummings effect: politics, trust and behaviours during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The Lancet, 2020, vol. 396, iss. 10249, pp. 464-465. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31690-1
17. Perrigo B. Boris Johnson Has Resigned. Here’s How He Lost Britain’s Government. Time, 01.07.2022. Available at: https://time.com/6194087/boris-johnson-future-ministers-resign (accessed 31.05.2023).
18. Cathey L. Trump resists a nationwide stay-at-home order. Fauci says ‘I don’t understand why’ some states not acting. ABC News, 04.04.2020. Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-resists-nationwide-stay-home-order-fauci-understand/story?id=69957947 (accessed 31.05.2023).
19. Murphy S. Health official: Trump rally ‘likely’ source of virus surge. AP News, 08.07.2020. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-oklahoma-ad96548245e186382225818d8dc416eb (accessed 31.05.2023).
20. Olorunnipa T. Trump cites game show host on pandemic while undercutting doctors and questioning their expertise. Washington Post, 13.07.2020. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-cites-game-show-host-on-pandemic-while-undercutting-doctors-and-questioning-their-expertise/2020/07/13/a083ea5c-c51f-11ea-8ffe-372be8d82298_story.html (accessed 31.05.2023).
21. Albrecht D. Vaccination, politics and COVID‑19 impacts. BMC Public Health, 14.01.2022. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12432-x
22. Krieger N. et al. Relationship of political ideology of US federal and state elected officials and key COVID pandemic outcomes following vaccine rollout to adults: April 2021–March 2022. The Lancet Regional Health Americas, 2022, vol. 16. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X22002010?via%3Dihub (accessed 31.05.2023).
23. Simmons M. Sweden, Covid and ‘excess deaths’: a look at the data. The Spectator, 10.03.2023. Available at: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/sweden-covid-and-excess-deaths-a-look-at-the-data/ (accessed 31.05.2023).
24. Frans E. Did Sweden’s controversial COVID strategy pay off? In many ways it did – but it let the elderly down. Prevention Web, 12.08.2022. Available at: https://www.preventionweb.net/news/did-swedens-controversial-covid-strategy-pay-many-ways-it-did-it-let-elderly-down (accessed 31.05.2023).
25. Burki T. China’s successful control of COVID‑19. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2020, vol. 20, iss. 11, pp. 1240-1241. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30800-8
26. Holder J. Tracking Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World. The New York Times, 13.03.2023. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html (accessed 31.05.2023).
SOURCES
1. A Coordinated Response to Coronavirus. UN Sustainable development group. (In Russ.) Available at: https://unsdg.un.org/ru/about/coordinated-response-coronavirus (accessed 31.05.2023).
2. From the History of Epidemiology: “Spanish Flu”: the worst influenza epidemic in human history. Rospotrebnadzor, 13.06.2021. (In Russ.) Available at: https://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/about/info/news/news_details.php?ELEMENT_ID=18044 (accessed 31.05.2023).
3. WHO Coronavirus (COVID‑19) Dashboard. World Health Organization, 2023. Available at: https://covid19.who.int/ (accessed 31.05.2023).
4. Global excess mortality associated with COVID‑19 pandemic, January 2020 – June 2021. World Health Organization, 10.05.2022. (In Russ.) Available at: https://www.who.int/ru/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/global-excess-deaths-associated-with-the-COVID-19-pandemic (accessed 31.05.2023).
5. Cardio vascular diseases. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases#tab=tab_1 (accessed 31.05.2023).
6. Unclassified-Summary-of-Assessment-on-COVID‑19-Origins. Available at: https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Unclassified-Summary-of-Assessment-on-COVID-19-Origins.pdf (accessed 31.05.2023).
7. Classified Energy Department report on COVID’s origin rekindles ongoing debate. CBS News, 27.02.2023. Available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/energy-department-covid-19-report-origins-lab-leak-debate/ (accessed 31.05.2023).
8. World must be ready to respond to next pandemic: WHO chief. UN news, 23.05.2023. Available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136912 (accessed 31.05.2023).
9. A strong pandemic defence system could reduce the chance of another COVID like pandemic in the next ten years from 27.5% to 8%. Airfinity, 13.04.2023. Available at: https://www.airfinity.com/articles/a-strong-pandemic-defence-system-could-reduce-the-chance-of-another-covid (accessed 31.05.2023).
10. World economy after pandemic: UN calls for global consolidation. UN News, 25.01.2021. (In Russ.) Available at: https://news.un.org/ru/story/2021/01/1395082 (accessed 31.05.2023).
11. Global Energy Review 2020. Context: A world in lockdown. International Energy Agency, 2020. Available at: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2020/context-a-world-in-lockdown (accessed 31.05.2023).
12. United States GDP Growth Rate. Trading Economics. Available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth (accessed 31.05.2023).
13. The Global Economic Outlook During the COVID‑19 Pandemic: A Changed World. The World Bank, 08.06.2020. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/08/the-global-economic-outlook-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-a-changed-world (accessed 31.05.2023).
14. World Economic Outlook October 2021. International Monetary Fund. Available at: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2021/10/12/world-economic-outlook-october-2021 (accessed 31.05.2023).
15. World Economic Outlook October 2022. International Monetary Fund. Available at: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2022/10/11/world-economic-outlook-october-2022 (accessed 31.05.2023).
16. Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy – Statistics and Facts. Statista, 19.09.2023. Available at: https://www.statista.com/topics/6139/covid-19-impact-on-the-global-economy/#topicOverview (accessed 31.05.2023).
17. Chapter III. World Trade Statistical Review 2021. World Trade Organization. Available at: https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/wts2021_e/wts2021chapter03_e.pdf (accessed 31.05.2023).
18. Amazon Revenue 2010–2023. Macrotrends. Available at: https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/AMZN/amazon/revenue (accessed 31.05.2023).
19. Global Unemployment Review 2022. Geopolitical Futures, 02.03.2023. Available at: https://geopoliticalfutures.com/global-unemployment-in-2022/ (accessed 31.05.2023).
20. C.D.C. says all Americans should wear masks. Trump says the rule is voluntary. The New York Times, 03.04.2020. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/world/coronavirus-news-updates.html#link-5b34591 (accessed 31.05.2023).
21. Sputnik V official site. (In Russ.) Available at: https://sputnikvaccine.com/rus/about-vaccine/ (accessed 31.05.2023).
22. RDIF head named the customers of the information campaign against Sputnik V. RBC, 04.06.2021. (In Russ.) Available at: https://www.rbc.ru/society/04/06/2021/60b91c389a7947444aeacfc4 (accessed 31.05.2023).
23. WHO chief declares end to COVID‑19 as a global health emergency. UN News, 05.05.2023. Available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136367 (accessed 31.05.2023).
24. AstraZeneca and Pfizer saved over 12 million lives in the first year of vaccination. Airfinity, 13.07.2022. Available at: https://www.airfinity.com/articles/astrazeneca-and-pfizer-biontech-saved-over-12-million-lives-in-the-first (accessed 31.05.2023).
25. Accelerating pandemic response efforts: An interview with CEPI’s Richard Hatchett. MicKinsey.com, 05.10.2021. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/life-sciences/our-insights/accelerating-pandemic-response-efforts-an-interview-with-cepis-richard-hatchett (accessed 31.05.2023).
No comments