WCPO: Is Ohio close to reopening economy? What will it look like?
UC economics professor Michael Jones says conditions, not time, will determine end of quarantine
It's the question that's on everyone's mind: How much longer will COVID-19 force us to self-isolate?
Michael Jones, associate professor of economics at the University of Cincinnati, told WCPO reporter Courtney Francisco that a COVID-19 test that delivers fast and accurate results is developed and made available to businesses would make it possible to open up the economy "immediately." But until that happens, says Jones, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and his administration must proceed with caution.
"If that level of testing doesn't exist by the end of May, Jones says the question will be: Can we open up very critical sectors of the economy?," wrote Francisco.
Jones believes that slowly opening up critical sectors of the economy will serve as the proverbial canary in the coal mine for the state's leaders.
"My guess is what they'll do is they'll open this up for two weeks and at the end they'll monitor and see: 'Did we have a flare up?'" Jones said. "If they didn't, then we'll open up more sectors."
Featured image: Lindner Hall, home of the Carl H. Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati.
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