The health news from Latin America is not good. The region has become the global epicenter of the Covid-19 epidemic, with nearly 4 million infections and 204,000 deaths as of mid-June. Moreover, the numbers are rising rapidly in several countries, including Brazil, which lags only the United States in reported cases, Peru with the seventh highest number of cases globally, … [Read more...] about Behavioral Economics and the Urgent Need to Use Masks When Lockdowns Are Lifted
What Can We Learn from Other Countries on When and How to Reopen the Economy?
On March 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus global health crisis a pandemic. In using this term, it sought to send a message to the countries responding slowly to a disruptive health crisis with an uncertain outlook and consequences that were difficult to anticipate. Although in Latin America and the Caribbean the first cases of Covid-19 were … [Read more...] about What Can We Learn from Other Countries on When and How to Reopen the Economy?
The Importance of Policies to Actively Seek Out COVID-19 Cases in Marginalized Neighborhoods
One notable characteristic of Covid-19 is that, outside China, it began by affecting the more prosperous segments of the population. In Latin America, the majority of people who were infected initially came from Europe and the United States. Argentina—and especially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires—was no exception. As of March 12, the city's 15 confirmed cases had come from … [Read more...] about The Importance of Policies to Actively Seek Out COVID-19 Cases in Marginalized Neighborhoods
Big Data in the Age of the Coronavirus
When and where will infection rates from the coronavirus surge? How are people responding to quarantine measures? And how is the pandemic affecting people's economic and social activity? The answers to these questions and the policy measures taken in response are critical to improving well-being and saving lives. The problem is that amidst the immensely complex and rapidly … [Read more...] about Big Data in the Age of the Coronavirus
Boosting Urban Mobility in Latin America during COVID-19 Lockdowns
Daniel Delgado used to have a straightforward bus commute. But with Lima under lockdown due to COVID-19 and infection rates high on public transport, the bus he usually took seemed too risky and slow. As a “guachimán” (security guard) in a building in the San Isidro neighborhood, Daniel had to find an alternative. Working with the building manager, he obtained a $300 … [Read more...] about Boosting Urban Mobility in Latin America during COVID-19 Lockdowns