The many ways COVID-19 affects households: consumption, time, and health outcomes

Abstract

Many of the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are mediated mainly through the economics of the household. The Review of Economics of the Household has published 17 papers on interactions between COVID-19, ensuing policy responses, and the economics of the household. Five were published in the December 2020 issue, six in the March issue, and six in this June 2021 issue. Here I give an overview of 10 of these articles. The general conclusion is that consumption, time allocations, and health outcomes have all been significantly affected by the pandemic and ensuing policy responses, but the responses have been rather heterogenous across regions, individuals, and outcomes.