Policy Spotlight: Ongoing Expert Advice on Pandemic Policies

To monitor some effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Illinois, IGPA established a diverse panel of experts in economics, public health, and vulnerable populations, throughout the state. Panelists agreed to complete periodic surveys. This report summarizes some findings from this Pandemic Stress Indicator Expert Panel in surveys conducted over the second half of 2020. The project was intended to assist public officials making tough decisions, by expanding available advice and information. We aimed also to inform the public about key aspects of the crisis. Rather than settle for a one-time summary of our best read of expert opinion about policy options circa April 2020, we created this process for continuing collection of evolving, informed views. We sought expertise from multiple kinds of experts precisely because of the inherent tradeoffs involved in pandemic policy. Through the summer, our experts were largely pessimistic about conditions worsening by year's end, though not pessimistic enough, it would turn out. They supported most restrictions in place, but differed on some key tradeoffs.