It's Monday, 23 March 2020. I'm Patrick Lane, the conmist's deputy digital editor.

Welcome to Eddys' Pigs, where you can hear three highlights from the paper this week.

They're read aloud, so you can listen on the go. The issue this week is dominated by

the coronavirus pandemic. Our cover looks at how to deal with the disease and, as far as

possible, how to spare the economy. In the struggle to get a grip on Covid-19, one country

after another is demanding that its citizens shun society. The effort to save lives and

the economy is likely to present agonizing choices.

Next, households are frantically stocking up on essentials such as Lurehole, but in financial

markets, the staple that no one can do without in time to stress is cash. Central bank

action is failing to stem the route.

And finally, the pandemic has closed London's theatres, but the show must always go on.

The stories you're about to hear are just a sample of what's on offer in the paper,

with the subscription you can read or listen to all of what we do, so please subscribe.

Go to economis.com slash radio offer to get your first 12 issues for $12 or 12 pounds.

First up, planet earth is shutting down.

In the struggle to get a grip on Covid-19, one country after another is demanding that

its citizens shun society. As that sends economies reeling, desperate governments are trying

to tide over companies and consumers by handing out trillions of dollars in aid and loan guarantees.

Nobody can be sure how well these rescues will work.

But there is worse.

Troubling new findings suggest that stopping the pandemic might require repeated shutdowns.

And yet it is also now clear that such a strategy would condemn the world economy to grave,

...