This pandemic has led to an emphasis on containment and treatment, even at great expense to many economies, and to the development of a vaccine. All of these are reasonably feasible in the developed world, but they are problematic in many other contexts with significant consequences already emerging. Accounts of past pandemics have highlighted significant social consequences, often mentioned in the current context but not addressed. Will some of these social and more longer-term consequences come back to haunt the West in the future? Moreover, will the developed world ensure that the developing world is able to handle all aspects of this pandemic and minimise suffering?
