Opinion: critical supports have been provided to businesses during the pandemic, but other measures are required to re-open the economy Covid-19 has devastated the economy, businesses and individuals.
At the end of January 2021, the Covid-19 adjusted measure of employment was 1.827 million. This compares with an employment level of 2.361 million in Q4 2019, which is a loss of 534,000 jobs or 22.6%.
In early 2021, there were 473,000 people receiving the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP), 273.000 on the employment wage subsidy scheme and 189,000 on the usual unemployment live register.
But not all sectors have been damaged by Covid. Supermarkets, pharmaceutical companies, suppliers of medical equipment, off-licences, online operations and