The Impact of Digital Infrastructure on the Consequences of COVID-19 and on the Mitigation of Future Effects

Abstract

The appearance and spread of COVID-19 have accentuated the connectivity and digitization lag in Latin American and Caribbean countries. The lockdowns imposed to reduce the spread of the virus increased the demand for digital tools that would allow economic, educational, and social activities to continue remotely. Despite the significant increase in the coverage of broadband networks in the region, there are still few activities that can be carried out remotely. This may be due to a lack of connectivity for a significant number of people, or to the difficulty for various actors in accelerating their digital transformation. This paper intends to assist policymakers in determining what measure might best assist countries given their circumstances.

Keywords: COVID-19. digital infrastructure, public policy, regulation

JEL Classification: L96, I18, L51, O18, L86