Our coverage of the coronavirus
A selection of our stories about covid-19 and its consequences
Since it emerged in China in December 2019, the coronavirus has killed over 4m people, infected many millions more and compelled governments around the world to lock down their populations. The rapid development of vaccines has at least offered some grounds for optimism. To stay up to speed with The Economist’s latest coverage of the virus and the vaccination drive, you can bookmark this hub page; register to receive our weekly newsletter, which has a special edition showcasing our coronavirus coverage; and follow our data trackers showing the global roll-out of vaccines, a daily estimate of excess deaths around the world and the virus’s spread across Europe and America.
Political and social impact
President anti-vaxxer
Jair Bolsonaro is accused of crimes against humanity in Brazil
It will harm the reputation of the beleaguered president further
Banyan
Restarting Asian tourism will be harder than shutting it down
Tourism-dependent economies are taking a cautious approach to reopening
The coronavirus
Millions of lives depend on how the pandemic ends
The world can see the end of the covid-19 emergency, but some daunting tasks lie ahead
Protracted war
How long can China’s zero-covid policy last?
Unlike Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, it seems determined to keep it up
Banyan
Asian countries are at last abandoning zero-covid strategies
Despite the risks, they are right to do so
Daily chart
Covid-19 has led to a sharp increase in depression and anxiety
Women fared worse than men
Data trackers
Covid-19 data
The global normalcy index
Is the world returning to pre-pandemic life? Find out with our interactive tracker
Covid-19 data
Tracking covid-19 across the world
Use our live data to follow the battle against the pandemic
Covid-19 data
Excess deaths, by country or city
In many parts of the world, official death tolls undercount the total number of fatalities
Covid-19 data
Tracking the coronavirus across Europe
How countries and regions are coping with the covid-19 pandemic
Vaccines
Strictly come jabbing
The impact of vaccine mandates is modest, but potentially crucial
Allowing exceptions sharply reduces mandates’ effectiveness
Daily chart
America’s pandemic is now an outlier in the rich world
Its daily toll of excess deaths is greater than in all other high-income countries combined
Needling
Why America needs vaccine mandates
State pressure has a role in public health. Covid-19 jabs are no exception
French covid-19 passports
How France tackled vaccine hesitancy
Covid-19 passports have proved efficient, and surprisingly popular
As good as advertised
Despite Delta, severe covid-19 is much rarer among vaccinated Britons
New population-level data are more reassuring than some recent studies of vaccine effectiveness
Biden’s bidding
President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate is ordinary yet controversial
The requirements will probably increase vaccination rates as long as they are found to be legal
Epidemiology
Northern exposure
Measures to prevent the spread of covid-19 have also fended off flu
As the world begins to reopen, will it see a resurgence of influenza?
A calculated risk
Why scientists are deliberately infecting volunteers with covid-19
“Human challenge trials” may help answer important questions quickly
Coats of many colours
The unvaccinated are at risk as evolution accelerates the covid-19 pandemic
Research is unravelling the virus’s deep secrets
Face: the facts
A big study in Bangladesh finds simple ways to encourage mask use
Symptomatic infections of covid-19 went down as the use of masks went up
Daily chart
Real-world evidence shows face masks reduce covid-19’s spread
A study from Bangladesh found they help even if many don't wear them
Daily chart
Covid-19 patients with severe symptoms suffer long-lasting cognitive impairments
Even those who had milder symptoms performed worse on brain-function tests
Economic consequences
Instant economics
A real-time revolution will up-end the practice of macroeconomics
The pandemic has hastened a shift towards novel data and fast analysis
Free exchange
How soaring energy costs could hobble the covid-19 recovery
Past shocks have raised inflation and induced economic slumps
Post-pandemic pick up
Latin America’s economies have an opportunity to grow
It would help if governments overcame their protectionist instincts
Daily chart
Do pandemics normally lead to rising inflation?
An analysis of data going back to the 14th century shows that such events typically lead to lower, not higher, inflation
The Economist explains
The Economist explains
Why Hong Kong’s “zero-covid” strategy could backfire
Infections are low but so is the vaccination rate, leaving the territory isolated
The Economist explains
Will Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates work?
With legal challenges inevitable, they face an uncertain fate
The Economist explains
Where will you need a covid passport?
Proof of vaccination or recovery from infection is increasingly being demanded, not just for international travel but also within countries
The Economist explains
Which countries are considering booster vaccines for covid-19?
Their number is rising, but for a variety of reasons
By invitation: the world after covid-19
Covid-19 vaccines
Naftali Bennett on why Israel is giving booster jabs for covid-19
A third dose protects people, the economy and social wellbeing—and crucially, retains public trust in vaccines, says Israel’s prime minister
Responding to covid-19
Mauricio Cárdenas on designing and funding future pandemic responses
There are concrete steps to take, so the world needs to set aside billions to save trillions, writes a former finance minister of Colombia
Vaccine passports
Clare Wenham on why vaccine certificates harm society
The public-health benefits aren’t worth the divisions they will create in society
Vaccine passports
Rachel Azaria on how Israel’s green pass nudged people to get vaccinated
Rather than divide people into the vaccine haves and have-nots, the country’s vaccine certificates brought society together, argues an Israeli politician
Vaccine passports
Ashish Jha on the case for vaccine certificates to beat covid-19
People will only have confidence meeting together—for work or leisure—if they have some certainty it is safe