AUTHOR=Pak Anton , Adegboye Oyelola A. , Adekunle Adeshina I. , Rahman Kazi M. , McBryde Emma S. , Eisen Damon P. TITLE=Economic Consequences of the COVID-19 Outbreak: the Need for Epidemic Preparedness JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2020 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00241 DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2020.00241 ISSN=2296-2565 ABSTRACT=COVID-19 is not only a global pandemic and public health crisis but it has also severely affected the global economy and financial markets. Significant reductions in income, rise of unemployment and disruptions in transportation, service and manufacturing industries are among the consequences of disease mitigation measures implemented in many countries. It has become clear that most governments in the world have underestimated the risks of rapid COVID-19 spread and were mostly reactive in their crisis response. As disease outbreaks are not likely to disappear in the near future, proactive international actions are required to not only save lives but also protect economic prosperity.