Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt

Evolving pieces of evidence show that services are hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, both globally and in Egypt. Employing Google search data, we examine the implications of COVID-19 on demand for various services in Egypt. • We find that demand for those services that require face-to-face inter...

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Main Authors: Abay, Kibrom A., Ibrahim, Hosam
Format: Brief
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143765
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author Abay, Kibrom A.
Ibrahim, Hosam
author_browse Abay, Kibrom A.
Ibrahim, Hosam
author_facet Abay, Kibrom A.
Ibrahim, Hosam
author_sort Abay, Kibrom A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Evolving pieces of evidence show that services are hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, both globally and in Egypt. Employing Google search data, we examine the implications of COVID-19 on demand for various services in Egypt. • We find that demand for those services that require face-to-face interaction, including hotels and restaurants, air travel and tourism services, significantly dipped after Egypt detected the first COVID-19 case and more so after the Egyptian government introduced major restrictions and curfews. For instance, in the first two months of the outbreak of the pandemic, February and March, demand for hotel and restaurant services contracted by about 70 percent. • In contrast, demand for services that substitute or reduce personal interactions, such as information and communications technologies (ICT) and delivery services, have enjoyed a significant boost. Demand for ICT services tripled, while demand for delivery services doubled in the four months since the outbreak of the pandemic. • Intuitively, these results suggest that individuals and enterprises operating in these sectors are expected to experience heterogenous impacts and damages associated with the pandemic. Our results, along with other evolving evidence, reinforce that those services and sectors negatively affected by the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 deserve attention. • Finally, our analysis highlights the potential of near real-time "big data" to substitute and complement conventional data sources to estimate economic impacts and, hence, inform immediate and medium-term policy responses.
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spelling CGSpace1437652025-11-06T05:02:28Z Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt Abay, Kibrom A. Ibrahim, Hosam recreation covid-19 online search technology demand disease prevention information and communication technologies pandemics internet trends Evolving pieces of evidence show that services are hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, both globally and in Egypt. Employing Google search data, we examine the implications of COVID-19 on demand for various services in Egypt. • We find that demand for those services that require face-to-face interaction, including hotels and restaurants, air travel and tourism services, significantly dipped after Egypt detected the first COVID-19 case and more so after the Egyptian government introduced major restrictions and curfews. For instance, in the first two months of the outbreak of the pandemic, February and March, demand for hotel and restaurant services contracted by about 70 percent. • In contrast, demand for services that substitute or reduce personal interactions, such as information and communications technologies (ICT) and delivery services, have enjoyed a significant boost. Demand for ICT services tripled, while demand for delivery services doubled in the four months since the outbreak of the pandemic. • Intuitively, these results suggest that individuals and enterprises operating in these sectors are expected to experience heterogenous impacts and damages associated with the pandemic. Our results, along with other evolving evidence, reinforce that those services and sectors negatively affected by the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 deserve attention. • Finally, our analysis highlights the potential of near real-time "big data" to substitute and complement conventional data sources to estimate economic impacts and, hence, inform immediate and medium-term policy responses. 2020-05-01 2024-05-22T12:16:43Z 2024-05-22T12:16:43Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143765 en http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/821821591104924698/Winners-and-Losers-from-COVID-19-Global-Evidence-from-Google-Search Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Abay, Kibrom A.; and Ibrahim, Hosam. 2020. Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt. MENA Policy Note 8. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133776.
spellingShingle recreation
covid-19
online search
technology
demand
disease prevention
information and communication technologies
pandemics
internet
trends
Abay, Kibrom A.
Ibrahim, Hosam
Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt
title Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt
title_full Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt
title_fullStr Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt
title_full_unstemmed Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt
title_short Winners and losers from COVID-19: Evidence from Google search data for Egypt
title_sort winners and losers from covid 19 evidence from google search data for egypt
topic recreation
covid-19
online search
technology
demand
disease prevention
information and communication technologies
pandemics
internet
trends
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143765
work_keys_str_mv AT abaykibroma winnersandlosersfromcovid19evidencefromgooglesearchdataforegypt
AT ibrahimhosam winnersandlosersfromcovid19evidencefromgooglesearchdataforegypt