The Nordic Way to Economic Rescue

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/business/nordic-way-economic-rescue-virus.html

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put pressure on all parts of life, for nearly everyone on the planet, one of the most immediate concerns is the economy. More and more countries are placing restrictions on movement, business, and gatherings. While of all this is completely necessary to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, it has large-scale consequences. Many people, especially those working in non-essential retail positions or as servers, have been laid off from their jobs, leaving them little to no income to pay rent, mortgages, bills, or for living expenses like food. Countries are dealing with this in a variety of ways. Canada is sending $2,000 a month to citizens who have lost income due to the pandemic. The United States has passed a 2 trillion dollar stimulus package that includes one-time payments of $1,200 to adults under a certain income level, including $2,400 for couples, and an additional $500 for dependents under the age of 16. This article from the New York Times focuses on the responses of the Nordic countries, which are known for having much stronger social safety net programs than other countries. Denmark is covering 75 to 90% of all worker salaries over the next three months at least, and covering costs like rent for companies whose revenues fall. Other Northern European countries like the Netherlands are taking similar measures. This article makes the argument that the US should be doing something more like those countries, as a typical stimulus package will likely be ineffective given that the government is forced to suppress business to quell the spread of the virus.