This research has a surprising way to look at the economic impact of COVID-19

This research has a surprising way to look at the economic impact of COVID-19

Night-time lights are widely used to track economic activity.

Images taken of 50 cities spanning 18 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, during the coronavirus lockdown showed economic activity slowed across.

As cities began to ease restrictions, the intensity of lights began to recover slightly in April, and more rapidly in May.

The study has allowed researchers to identify which cities were hardest hit by the pandemic and, therefore, may need more policy support.



COVID-19 has hit cities hard. Overnight, stay-at-home orders and other restrictions have transformed vibrant hubs into shadows of their former selves. While these "non-pharmaceutical interventions“ (NPIs) have curbed the disease's spread, they have also sparked deep recessions in many cities. However, not all cities have suffered equally.



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