Other Fed leaders, including Chair Jerome H. Powell, have said more generally that the virus will dictate the pace of the recovery. A growing number of academic and private-sector economists echo the idea that more people wearing masks will help fuel the recovery. “The three most important policies for creating an economic recovery are public health, public health and public health,” said Justin Wolfers, a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan. That includes Powell, who has declined to weigh in with specific advice for public health experts or lawmakers debating additional government support. No recession in the modern era has been so entrenched within a public health crisis, and the Fed prefers to leave mask advocacy to epidemiologists and public health experts.

Source: Washington Post July 17, 2020 10:02 UTC