Analyzing the ultimate impact of COVID-19 in Africa

Elbany, M.; Elhenawy, Y.

The Covid-19 pandemic has spread quickly across the globe in late 2019 and this has continued into 2020, causing a complete closure of daily routines, depleting global resources and, in extreme cases, causing loss of life. In Africa, with its hot climate, decision makers try to get people to their work as health care professionals or sometimes access health care facilities. For the peak four months; April, May, June, and July, the virus appeared, spread, and began to decrease. This study aims at analyzing the direct impact of Covid-19 in Africa according to the available data until July 2020. It provides statistics and policies prepared by African countries for this pandemic with the aid of other developed countries’ experiences. From studying such applicable policies, it can be seen in a number of cases that lockdown restrictions, school and workplace closures, and limitations to the internal movement have the chief effect of reducing virus spread. Change in travel behavior and number of visitors appear in response to such a crisis. Regarding the potential economic repercussions in the studied period, GDP shows a sharp drop of 3.4%, appearing as a reduction of 6% on the price of oil, reducing the number of tourists by 46%, and causing fluctuations in currency. These suggest a mutual influence between the crisis and the transport sector.