Jeffrey Sachs: ‘The key right now is to fight the epidemic’

Jeffrey Sachs is an eminent American economist and professor of sustainable development at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He had for many years been director of Columbia's Earth Institute, while he's served as special adviser for sustainable development to the last three secretary-generals of the United Nations. In his role as public policy analyst and leading intellectual, he's been actively participating in the public dialogue globally on matters of economic and sustainable policy. In this interview with Kathimerini, he insists that, for the time being, all our initiatives should be focused on battling the pandemic.

"The key right now is to fight the epidemic. Governments should spend freely to hire health workers and social support workers, procure emergency equipment, and build additional health and isolation facilities. The European...