Myanmar Business Environment Index (MBEI) Covid=19 Impact on Businesses: A Survey

Abstract

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has driven the world into an unprecedented crisis. By May 25, 2020 the virus had claimed nearly 350,000 lives worldwide (John Hopkins University 2020). Apart from the severe health consequences, the virus and the measures taken to combat it are causing a worldwide economic shock. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), it is likely that the pandemic will result in the greatest global economic recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s (IMF 2020b). Although the health impacts to date appear less severe in Myanmar than in many other countries – with only six deaths recorded by May 25 (Ministry of Health and Sports 2020) – the economy has still been hit hard by the pandemic.