OECD puts focus on testing and digital tracing before economies can reopen after pandemic

Opening up the economy from the health restrictions designed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic will require governments to sanction widespread testing and digital tracing, the Organisation for Cooperation and Development (OECD) has said.

It comes as many states, including the Government here, are looking at ways to open up their economies sector-by-sector as their concerns grow about the millions that are unemployed or drawing wage-subsidy schemes.

But the OECD recommendations include widespread testing because of the nature of the Covid-19 when a "large number" of people do not show symptoms of the disease.

"This would require governments to increase capacity for testing enormously; put in place strict measures to prevent people who may be infectious from breaking quarantine; as well as ways to trace contacts," the Paris-based organisation said.

Identifying people with “some form of immunity and can safely return to work” and “gaining intelligence” on the disease are vital aims.

On digital tracing, the OECD said: "Digital technologies provide powerful tools for governments in their fight to control the Covid-19 pandemic, but their privacy and data protection implications must be recognised.”