ATLANTIC CURRENTS 8th Edition : The Wider Atlantic in a Challenging Recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the global economy and has challenged the best minds to rethink how to design and implement an effective recovery. Countries in the wider Atlantic region have exhibited differential trajectories in traversing the pandemic. A number of countries in Europe succeeded in vaccinating most of their eligible populations, enabling life to return somewhat to normal. A smaller group of countries in Europe could manage infection rates even more tightly by administering booster shots for selected at-risk segments. In the United States, performance varied hugely across different states, with some instituting mandates and vaccinating large proportions of their populations. In several countries the private sector has led or contributed by instituting working-at-home policies and supporting employees in getting tested and vaccinated. For the vast majority of countries in the developing world, and particularly in Africa, this was not the experience, as they faced challenges in receiving sufficient doses to vaccinate their populations.