Updated May 21, 2020 On December 31, 2019, China reported to the WHO several cases of pneumonia of unknown origin in Wuhan, Hubei province. A week later, on January 7, officials determined that these cases were caused by a novel coronavirus. The virus spread very rapidly, first within Wuhan and Hubei province, then to the rest of China. By the end of January, China already … [Read more...] about The Spread of the Novel Coronavirus outside China
A Sharing Economy for Mechanical Ventilators
From Wuhan to Italy, one of the most serious problems associated with COVID-19 has been the lack of intensive care units (ICUs), mechanical ventilators, and staff trained to operate them. In both cases (and notwithstanding China’s astonishing expansion of hospital capacity), many of the deaths could have been prevented with more ICUs and more ventilators. In the absence of … [Read more...] about A Sharing Economy for Mechanical Ventilators
In the Fight Against the Coronavirus, Behavioral Economics is a Potent Weapon
With thousands of deaths worldwide, the coronavirus has spread panic in nearly all countries and territories where it has hit. People fear not only infection and death, but upheavals to their daily lives, rituals, and traditions. Everything from earning an income to having a normal family life or even putting food on the table has been put into doubt. And doubt tends to build … [Read more...] about In the Fight Against the Coronavirus, Behavioral Economics is a Potent Weapon
Latin America has experienced sudden stops in the past. The coronavirus takes the challenge to a new level.
Financial markets are in turmoil with the spread of COVID-19 and its consequences for the global economy. Emerging markets suffer particularly acutely in times of financial uncertainty, as global investment portfolios shift to safer asset classes. This means that the COVID-19 shock is creating a “sudden stop” in capital flows for emerging markets. The costs of sudden stops for … [Read more...] about Latin America has experienced sudden stops in the past. The coronavirus takes the challenge to a new level.
Big Data: New Opportunities and Challenges for Urban Research
Fifteen years ago, researchers were restricted to using surveys, censuses and basic administrative data when they examined cities and local policies. But those methods have real limitations. Surveys can be prohibitively expensive. Censuses may be out of date and administrative data often fail to represent the population as a whole. Today, we live in a radically different … [Read more...] about Big Data: New Opportunities and Challenges for Urban Research