1/ Key Takeaways from Mushfiq's ( @mushfiq_econ) work in Bangladesh & Nepal

- Integrate epidemiological AND economics factors in decision making on reopening the country, identify the high priority sectors (see matrix below) & high-risk infection areas before smartly reopening https://twitter.com/MahaRehman1/status/1275100337381269504

2/ - Prioritise reopening of sectors that contribute towards income of poor households, supply essential needs and towards essential sectors - CREATE a priority ranking.

3/ - Relatedly, create a vulnerability index based on pre-COVID poverty, remittance share, current income, food prices and climate risk susceptibility to rank areas where support need is greatest

Integrate these indices/mapping

4/ - Misc policy evidence:

With the return of migrant workers & drop in remittances, migrant families are not only experiencing sharp declines in income but also 300% more chances of showing COVID symptoms

Plan to reintegrate them through targeted transfers

5/ - Given historical data and food cycles, food insecurity is high in July-August; prepare for this well in advance and protect the communities/supply chains at risk

6/ Jishnu's work on testing in South Asia

- Need better testing strategies than just testing based on symptoms; as infections in communities increase need to move towards simple random testing

- Simple Random Testing dominates as 70-80% individuals are asymptomatic

7/ .. 6% of those who show symptoms test positive and out of any sample 3.5% are likely to show symptoms.

In a community with no known COVID cases, prevalence has been at 4%.

- Need to better identify risk characteristics; reduce South Asian aversion to testing

8/ Lastly some new initiatives in Pakistan by Digital Pakistan team ( and shared by @taidrus; also included a round up of current ventures)

- Quarantine App as Intl Flights Open
- Initiatives on mental health, domestic violence, plasma donation