Comment: Extraordinary level of Covid-19 transmission undermines US recovery

With such a persistently high risk of contracting the virus, American consumers will continue to be much more cautious than their counterparts abroad

Even if America could stage a rapid recovery and restore employment to its previous levels, the justifiable fears of US consumers would pose a significant hurdle to sustained growth. Picture: Getty

The United States is home to 4 per cent of the world’s population but 21 per cent of confirmed Covid-19 deaths; it accounts for 25 per cent of the Global North’s population but 50 per cent of its excess mortalities (deaths from all causes above the usual rate) registered during the pandemic.

Moreover, America’s current cumulative cases per million are almost four times higher than in the European Union (though the latter is experiencing a ...