Resorting to a lockdown is not an easy choice, specially for developing countries, as it brings the economy to a near halt. #COVID19 #COVIDー19 #COVID #COVID19India 1/8
While the richer nations may have the wherewithal to provide safety net to its populations, the same is not true for developing countries with limited resources. 2/8
As many have pointed out, the choice is not that of life versus economy but of life versus life for these low income countries. 3/8
Interestingly, despite the hardship that a lockdown brings to a poor nation, many have opted for it. As we can see in the chart below, poorer countries are as likely to adopt strict lockdown policy as rich countries. 4/8 
Interestingly, the poorer nations have also been quicker, relative to richer nations, in adopting lockdowns. For example, Sudan, Botswana and Laos had less than 10 confirmed COVID cases at the time of adoption of full lockdown. 5/8
What really prompted the poorer countries to embrace most extreme form of lockdown even with low number of COVID cases? 6/8
It was perhaps necessitated by their poor health infrastructure. Unlike Germans or Koreans, it would not have been possible for these countries to ramp up their testing capacity overnight and provide adequate medical facilities to COVID affected population. 7/8
As we can see in the table below, 43% countries that are currently are under full lockdown , on an average have lower income levels , and account only for 29% of the total reported COVID cases. However, their share in total COVID death jumps to 40%. 8/8
