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The Economics of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poor Countries

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  • Miguel, Edward
  • Mobarak, Ahmed Mushfiq

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended health and living standards around the world. This article provides an interim overview of these effects, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Economists have explained how the pandemic is likely to have different consequences for LMICs and demands distinct policy responses compared to those of rich countries. We survey the rapidly expanding body of empirical research that documents the pandemic's many adverse economic and noneconomic effects in terms of living standards, education, health, and gender equality, which appear to be unprecedented in scope and scale. We also review research on successful and failed policy responses, including the failure to ensure widespread vaccine coverage in many LMICs, which is needed to end the pandemic. We close with a discussion of implications for public policy in LMICs and for the institutions of international governance, given the likelihood of future pandemics and other major shocks (e.g., climate).

Suggested Citation

  • Miguel, Edward & Mobarak, Ahmed Mushfiq, 2022. "The Economics of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poor Countries," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt0191q2qs, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:econwp:qt0191q2qs
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    Cited by:

    1. Fang, Guanfu & Tang, Tianyu & Zhao, Fang & Zhu, Ying, 2023. "The social scar of the pandemic: Impacts of COVID-19 exposure on interpersonal trust," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    2. Chae, Minhee & Liang, Wenquan & Xue, Sen, 2025. "Pandemics and intergenerational mobility in education: Evidence from the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    3. Caroline Krafft & Maia Sieverding & Irene Selwaness, 2024. "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s care work and employment in the Middle East and North Africa," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 51(15), pages 501-552.
    4. Tsai, I-Chun & Chen, Han-Bo & Lin, Che-Chun, 2024. "The ability of energy commodities to hedge the dynamic risk of epidemic black swans," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    5. Brunckhorst, Ben & Cojocaru, Alexandru & Kim, Yeon Soo & Kugler, Maurice, 2024. "Long COVID: The evolution of household welfare in developing countries during the pandemic," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    6. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Salehi-Isfahani, Djavad & Do, Minh N. N., 2024. "The impacts of COVID-19 on female labor force participation in Iran," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1440, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    7. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Pereira da Silva, Luiz A., 2025. "Global public goods, fiscal policy coordination, and welfare in the world economy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    8. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Oseni, Gbemisola & Abanokova, Kseniya, 2025. "Educational inequalities during COVID-19: Results from longitudinal surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    9. Federico N Daverio-Occhini & María Montoya-Aguirre & Máximo Ponce de León & L Guillermo Woo-Mora, 2024. "Moral Force: Leaders' Actions and Public Health Compliance in Crisis," PSE Working Papers halshs-04721932, HAL.
    10. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Salehi-Isfahani, Djavad & Do, Minh N. N., 2024. "The Impacts of COVID-19 on Female Labor Force Participation in the Islamic Republic of Iran," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10801, The World Bank.
    11. Option Takunda Chiwaridzo & Reason Masengu, 2025. "Rebuilding sustainable green tourism supply chain through technology adoption and social media branding in Zimbabwe post-COVID-19," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(8), pages 18105-18128, August.
    12. Zhong, Mingli & Braga, Breno & McKernan, Signe-Mary & Hayward, Mark & Millward, Elizabeth & Trepel, Christopher, 2024. "Impacts of COVID-19-era economic policies on consumer debt in the United Kingdom," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    13. Thanh, Pham Tien & Tram, Nguyen Hoang Mai & Tung, Le Thanh, 2024. "Educational inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam: Implications for disadvantaged children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    14. Jingyi Fang & Yasuyuki Sawada, 2024. "On the effectiveness of insurance mechanisms for older individuals in China," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 75(4), pages 1007-1040, December.
    15. Madeline Duhon & Lia Fernald & Joan Hamory & Edward Miguel & Eric Ochieng & Michael W. Walker, 2024. "Intergenerational Human Capital Impacts and Complementarities in Kenya," NBER Working Papers 32617, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Brunckhorst,Ben James & Kim,Yeon Soo & Cojocaru,Alexandru, 2023. "Tracing Pandemic Impacts in the Absence of Regular Survey Data: What Have We Learned from the World Bank’s High-Frequency Phone Surveys?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10585, The World Bank.

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