Public health protection and economy: priorities of political and economic decisions in the conditions of pandemic

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge to healthcare systems around the world. As of May 16, 2020, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2, which is the causative agent of COVID-19) was identified in the vast majority of countries. There are more than 4.6 million confirmed cases and more than 300 000 deaths worldwide, according to official sources. In addition, according to the latest forecasts of the development of the situation associated with the spread of the pandemic, COVID-19 could lead to about 40 million deaths worldwide this year. Such a scenario is possible, provided that a vaccine against coronavirus infection will not be developed soon. Currently, in the absence of pharmaceutical interventions which are effective enough to be used as a preventive measure and when there are no drugs, the main strategy for fighting COVID-19 focuses on non-pharmaceutical interventions. These non-pharmaceutical interventions typically include a package of mitigation and suppression measures (for example, isolation on a case-by-case basis, protection of vulnerable groups, closing schools, limitation of publicly planned or any other activities, and introduction of self- isolation throughout the country). Obviously, these measures, in particular social distancing, are aimed at risk minimization of SARS-CoV-2 contagion from person to person. Having found itself in emergency conditions, the Russian government faced a difficult task when making political and economic decisions: to increase funding for healthcare or to ensure the welfare of the country’s economy. The aim of the article is to analyze and assess the degree of influence of the pandemic factor on the socio-economic situation, influence of the factors of the epidemic process on political and economic decision-making.