Peter Orazem, university professor, talked with Robbie Sequeira, Ames Tribune; Trent Rice, WHO Radio; Zach Tecklenburg, KCCI; and Sony Heitshusen, WHO TV, about his analysis of shelter-in-place policies and commuter rates on the COVID outbreak. All are the result of a News Service pitch.
Orazem was quoted in an April 17 Des Moines Register story, "Iowa will adopt phased reopening approach after coronavirus closures, Gov. Kim Reynolds says."
Peter Orazem, economics professor at Iowa State University, said the longer the shutdown lasts, the longer the effects will ripple through the economy and the more businesses that will fail.
But if the shutdown is too short, it risks a resurgence of the crisis, resulting in more shock waves.
"How long is it going to take from peaking to getting back down to zero? And I think the answer is going to be a long time," Orazem said. "... The all-clear is going to happen when you've outlasted the incubation period."