I joined City-REDI / WM REDI in a very different world to the one in which universities are now operating and which is having and will have a profound effect on how we work with our cities and regions. It is therefore important that groups like City-REDI / WM REDI contribute their analytical capacity to … Continue reading “The Role of Civic Universities in the Coronavirus Crisis and Beyond”
Category: Coronavirus
Identifying Exposure: What Do the IFS Estimates on the Coronavirus Sector Shutdown Mean for the West Midlands?
On April 6th 2020 the Institute for Fiscal Studies published a briefing note about which workers are most exposed to the COVID-19 lockdown. In this blog, Tasos Kitsos looks at the relevant figures for a range of sub-national areas focussing on West Midlands Combined Authority and constituent LEPs and Local Authorities. The sectors directly affected … Continue reading “Identifying Exposure: What Do the IFS Estimates on the Coronavirus Sector Shutdown Mean for the West Midlands?”
The Long-Term Impact of Homeworking Arising From the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis
The ‘Legoland discovery centre’ replica of Birmingham City Centre has had thousands of mini-figures removed to reflect the city’s empty streets, as the COVID-19 crisis means that millions are asked to stay at home. The abandoned City Centre scene reflects how 1 in 3 of all businesses have closed under the COVID-19 regulation (1 in … Continue reading “The Long-Term Impact of Homeworking Arising From the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis”
Local Resilience and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Economic Crisis
First things first, stay in as much as possible. Never before such a simple action could have such a big impact. From protecting your loved ones to helping the economy, staying in is currently one of our best weapons. The more we stay in, the quicker we will be out of this challenge. Beyond the … Continue reading “Local Resilience and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Economic Crisis”
Contagion: The Economic and Social Impacts of Coronavirus (Covid-19) on the West Midlands
In the case of almost all kinds of economic, social, political or health-related systemic shocks, the vulnerable are the most severely impacted. We know a great deal now about the susceptibility of particular groups in our population to the Covid-19 virus, the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions relating to heart and lung functions. But … Continue reading “Contagion: The Economic and Social Impacts of Coronavirus (Covid-19) on the West Midlands”
Economic Exposure to COVID-19 (Part III): The Situation in the West Midlands Region – The Sectoral Effects of a Lockdown
Like any good Hollywood blockbuster you can think of, here we finish the trilogy of blogs related to the economic exposure to COVID-19 of the West Midlands’ sectors [1]. If you are still reading this series and you are not overwhelmed yet by the amount of information (and disinformation) related to the pandemic, I hope … Continue reading “Economic Exposure to COVID-19 (Part III): The Situation in the West Midlands Region – The Sectoral Effects of a Lockdown”
Economic Exposure to COVID-19 (Part II): The Situation in the West Midlands Region – Demand for Health Services: The Invisible Indirect Workers
This is the second blog in a series on the economic exposure of the West Midlands region [1] to COVID-19. The first article talked about the effect on the main sectors and the employment depending on foreign trade, in an eventual case of international borders closure. You can read the first blog here. The second … Continue reading “Economic Exposure to COVID-19 (Part II): The Situation in the West Midlands Region – Demand for Health Services: The Invisible Indirect Workers”
Economic Exposure to COVID-19 (Part I): The Situation in the West Midlands Region – Closing the Borders
How can I help? That is the question I’ve been asking myself ever since I knew COVID-19 was approaching the UK. And it finally arrived, as expected, but it caught us unprepared, even though we have been observing speechless what was happening in many other countries around the corner, like Italy (where I have many … Continue reading “Economic Exposure to COVID-19 (Part I): The Situation in the West Midlands Region – Closing the Borders”