Posted: September 2nd, 2022

Implementation of lockdown due to COVID-19 has brought more problems

Implementation of lockdown due to COVID-19 has brought more problems than benefits
In a move to slow down the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus, countries have resorted to different types of measures. Initially, most governments responded by enforcing travel bans and restrictions. However, as COVID-19 continued to spread, governments in both advanced and developing economies opted to implement social distancing measures, including curfews and lockdowns, to contain the virus and prevent further spread. But it would soon be discovered that the unique economic and demographic landscape of developing economies would pose more challenges to the citizens.
Prolonged periods of lockdowns seem to have caused more harm than good. While the main purpose is to limit coronavirus spread, many people and families have ended up suffering from this bold step. Vulnerable groups of the population, including young children and the homeless, have been the main victims. Schools and churches have been closed since, and a lot of activities have been halted.
First, in major cities in developing African countries, more than two-thirds of people live in poor and deplorable conditions in congested slums, where even the most basic services like food and water are hard to access. Social distancing and lockdown measures are not effective in such overcrowded informal settlements where it is possible to find a whole family sharing a small single room.
The high rates of unemployment in developing countries make lockdown such a challenge. The informal sector provides jobs and income for most citizens from these countries. But most of them are small-scale entrepreneurs who need to work on a daily basis to settle the most basic needs, including food, housing, and health. Since the lockdown implementation, thousands of businesses have closed, people have lost their jobs, and life has become very difficult. The strict dusk-to-dawn curfew hours have narrowed the working hours significantly and distorted the supply network. People can no longer make a living while in lockdown and are forced to choose between staying hungry or going out to work and risk getting infected with the deadly virus.
The COVID-19 is truly a global crisis that has impacted the economies of all countries worldwide. The travel restrictions have affected countries that rely on tourism, hospitality, and entertainment for sustainability and growth. Young emerging markets in developing economies have been affected following unprecedented capital flow reversals, increased pressure on currencies, a decreased global appetite, and overburdened health systems. For the first time after many years, the economies of both developed and emerging economies are in recession following lockdown measures.
Alvarez, Fernando E., David Argente, and Francesco Lippi. A simple planning problem for covid-19 lockdown. No. w26981. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2020.
Hevia, Constantino, and Pablo Andrés Neumeyer. “A perfect storm: COVID-19 in emerging economies.” VoxEU CEPR Policy Portal. Available at https://voxeu. org/article/perfect-stormcovid-19-emerging-economies (2020).
Karnon, Jonathan. “A simple decision analysis of a mandatory lockdown response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” (2020): 1-3.

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