Coronavirus | Econofact

Impact of the Covid-19 Crisis on Women’s Employment

By Titan Alon, Matthias Doepke, Jane Olmstead-Rumsey and Michèle Tertilt·August 27, 2020
University of California, San Diego, Northwestern University and University of Mannheim

The Issue:

Before Covid-19, the most recent economic recessions in the United States have been “mancessions,” meaning that employment losses were larger for men than women. In contrast, the Covid-19 recession has led to a sharp decline in women’s employment. Because workers who lose employment during a recession

The Effect of COVID-19 on CO2 Emissions

By Galina Hale·August 18, 2020
University of California, Santa Cruz

The Issue:

Economic and lifestyle changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related containment policies that countries around the world implemented resulted in a large reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. This reduction so far is likely larger than what we have experienced in past recessions. But, can

Have Enhanced Unemployment Benefits Discouraged Work?

By Ioana Marinescu·August 11, 2020
University of Pennsylvania

The Issue:

The CARES Act greatly increased the generosity of unemployment insurance benefits by adding a fixed $600 federal weekly supplement to state benefits and expanding eligibility for benefits. As a result, many of the unemployed received benefits that surpassed their prior weekly wages until the benefit

The Importance of Childcare in Reopening the Economy

By Alicia Sasser Modestino, Jamie Ladge and Alisa Lincoln·July 29, 2020
Northeastern University

The Issue:

Working parents comprise roughly one-third of the U.S. workforce. Having a safe place for their children to be during work hours is a requirement for these parents to be able to work. This past spring COVID-19 severely disrupted the nature and availability of childcare options as schools and daycares

The Unequal Impact of COVID-19 on Children’s Economic Vulnerability

By Anna Bokun, Jessie Himmelstern, Wonjeong Jeong, Ann Meier, Kelly Musick and Rob Warren·July 14, 2020
University of Minnesota and Cornell University

The Issue:

There are large disparities in COVID-related unemployment, with the largest proportional losses among Latinx and less-educated workers. The effects have been particularly felt among children. In our original research based on very recent data, we find that one-in-five children in the United States

Using Mobile Money to Help the Poor in Developing Countries

By Jenny Aker·July 6, 2020
The Fletcher School, Tufts University

The Issue:

With Latin America becoming a new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growth of new cases accelerating in Africa, developing countries are facing growing impacts from the coronavirus crisis. Worldwide, countries have been implementing policies designed to hamper the spread of the coronavirus,

The Paradox of Medical Costs During the Pandemic

By Jeff Levin-Scherz and Trevis Parson·June 30, 2020
Harvard T.H. Chan School Of Public Health and Harvard Medical School and Willis Towers Watson

The Issue:

As COVID-19 began to rapidly spread in the United States, many experts suggested that medical costs would rise substantially due to the pandemic. They projected high costs from long and expensive hospitalizations for those seriously affected by the virus, especially in hot-spots throughout the country.

States Face Daunting Budget Gaps. What Can Be Done?

By Alicia Sasser Modestino, Michael Goodman and Alan Clayton-Matthews·June 25, 2020
Northeastern University, UMass Dartmouth, and Northeastern University

The Issue:

States across the nation are estimated to face budget shortfalls for the upcoming fiscal year 2021, ranging from as low as 4% in Arkansas to as high as 30% in New Mexico. In fact, these shortfalls have likely grown since first estimated as recent reports indicate that GDP has slowed more than expected,

Coronavirus’ Disproportionate Economic Impacts on Immigrants

By Chloe East, Hilary Hoynes and Tara Watson·June 17, 2020
University of Colorado Denver, University of California, Berkeley and Williams College

The Issue:

Unemployment has risen dramatically in the wake of COVID-19. The adverse labor market effects of the virus are disproportionately experienced by minority groups including Hispanics and Blacks. Immigrants (people born outside of the United States) may face particular hardship because they are more likely