Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Disproportionately Affect the Poor? Evidence from a Six-Country Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought havocs on economies around the world. Yet, much needs to be learnt on the distributional impacts of the pandemic. We contribute new theoretical and empirical evidence on the distributional impacts of the pandemic on different income groups in a multi-country setting. Analyzing rich individual-level data from a six-country survey, we find that while the outbreak has no impacts on household income losses, it results in a 63-percent reduction in the expected own labor income for the second-poorest income quintile. The impacts of the pandemic are most noticeable in terms of savings, with all the four poorer income quintiles suffering reduced savings ranging between 5 and 7 percent compared to the richest income quintile. The poor are also less likely to change their behaviors, both in terms of immediate prevention measures against COVID-19 and healthy activities. We also find countries to exhibit heterogeneous impacts. The United Kingdom has the least household income loss and expected labor income loss, and the most savings. Japanese are least likely to adapt behavioral changes, but Chinese, Italians, and South Koreans wash their hands and wear a mask more often than Americans

Does the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affect the poor? Evidence from a six-country survey

Purpose – The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought havoc on economies around the world. The purpose of this study is to learn about the distributional impacts of the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach – The authors contribute new theoretical and empirical evidence on the distributional impacts of the pandemic on different income groups in a multicountry setting. The authors analyze rich individual-level survey data covering 6,082 respondents from China, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. The results are robust to various econometric models, including ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and ordered probit models with country-fixed effects. Findings – The authors find that while the outbreak has no impact on household income losses, it results in a 63% reduction in the expected own labor income for the second-poorest income quintile. The pandemic impacts are most noticeable for savings, with all the four poorer income quintiles suffering reduced savings ranging between 5 and 7% compared to the richest income quintile. The poor are also less likely to change their behaviors regarding immediate prevention measures against COVID-19 and healthy activities. The authors also found countries to exhibit heterogeneous impacts. Social implications – Designing tailor-made social protection and health policies to support the poorer income groups in richer and poorer countries can generate multiple positive impacts that help minimize the negative and inequality-enhancing pandemic consequences. These findings are relevant not only for COVID-19 but also for future pandemics. Originality/value – The authors theoretically and empirically investigate the impacts of the pandemic on poorer income groups, while previous studies mostly offer empirical analyses and focus on other sociodemographic factors. The authors offer a new multicountry analysis of several prevention measures against COVID-19 and specific health activities

Pesticide removal by a mixed culture of bacteria and white-rot fungi

Combining activated sludge cultures with microbes harboring specific degradation pathways could constitute a relevant process for the removal of toxic and recalcitrant organic substances from wastewater. Enhanced removal of three widely used recalcitrant pesticides from their liquid mixture was demonstrated by implementing a non-acclimated mixed culture of bacteria and white-rot fungus. During an incubation period of 14 days, the mixed fungus-bacteria culture achieved 47, 98, and 62% removal of aldicarb, atrazine and alachlor from the liquid phase, respectively. This compared favorably to batches containing only non-acclimated fungus or previously published removal rates with non-acclimated bacterial cultures. Biosorption along with biodegradation was responsible for the removal of the pesticides from the liquid phase. Potential application modes of the studied biodegradation process were also discussed

Pesticide removal by a mixed culture of bacteria and white-rot fungi

Combining activated sludge cultures with microbes harboring specific degradation pathways could constitute a relevant process for the removal of toxic and recalcitrant organic substances from wastewater. Enhanced removal of three widely used recalcitrant pesticides from their liquid mixture was demonstrated by implementing a non-acclimated mixed culture of bacteria and white-rot fungus. During an incubation period of 14 days, the mixed fungus-bacteria culture achieved 47, 98, and 62% removal of aldicarb, atrazine and alachlor from the liquid phase, respectively. This compared favorably to batches containing only non-acclimated fungus or previously published removal rates with non-acclimated bacterial cultures. Biosorption along with biodegradation was responsible for the removal of the pesticides from the liquid phase. Potential application modes of the studied biodegradation process were also discussed