A look at lockdowns in Chile finds that wealth played a major role in who stayed home and who risked infection
Latin American countries were quick to mandate lockdowns and mobility restrictions when Covid-19 hit in March 2020. While it was clear that these public health measures would put the brakes on the region’s growing economy, it was not evident how people would react to them, particularly when faced with the choice between sacrificing income and avoiding infection.
This dynamic was especially pronounced in Santiago, Chile, one of the region’s most prosperous cities, but also one with deep socioeconomic inequality that had fueled violent antigovernment protests in late 2019.
This piece originally appeared in Stanford Business Insights from Stanford Graduate School of Business. To receive business ideas and insights from Stanford GSB click here: (To sign up: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/about/emails)