Recommendations to Leverage E-Commerce During the COVID-19 Crisis

In the fight against COVID-19, economic activities that require close physical contact have been severely restricted. Governments around the world have put in place containment measures to slow down the rate of infection, including lockdowns, border closures, and restrictions on economic activities....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ungerer, Christoph, Portugal, Alberto, Molinuevo, Martin, Rovo, Natasha
Format: Policy Note
Language:English
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/280651589394091402/Recommendations-to-Leverage-E-Commerce-During-the-COVID-19-Crisis
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33750
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Summary:In the fight against COVID-19, economic activities that require close physical contact have been severely restricted. Governments around the world have put in place containment measures to slow down the rate of infection, including lockdowns, border closures, and restrictions on economic activities. Even where strict restrictions are not in place, consumers and businesses are opting for “social-distancing” to avoid physical proximity and potential contagion. Activities deemed as essential, such as grocery shopping and visits to health facilities, have not yet seized up in most countries – but are key remaining hotspots for potential new infections. In this context, e-commerce – defined broadly as the sale of goods or services online - is emerging as a major pillar in the fight against COVID-19.