Financing
Social relief grant allocated R6.8bn until 2021
Europe: Compensating Healthcare Professionals for Income Losses and Extra Expenses
COVID-19 has affected the incomes of some health professionals by reducing demand for care and increasing expenditures for treatment preparedness. In a survey of 14 European countries, we found that most countries have incentivised substitutive e-health services to avoid loss of income.
Poland: Another support for entrepreneurs - the PFR 2.0 Financial Shield is launched
Gov.pl website (26.11.2020) PFR 2.0 Financial Shield for micro-enterprises - up to PLN 3 billion of support
Uruguay: Covid-19 Fund
On April 8, Uruguay enacted Law No. 19,874 creating the Covid-19 Solidarity Fund , a precedent seen by the cross-sectional group of 16 economists who proposed a similar formula to address the emergency and post-pandemic recovery in Chile. The formula of creating a Covid fund, from which up to US $ 12 billion could be drawn to finance support for individuals and companies, seeks that the Government does not have to go to Congress for each measure: once the framework of action has been agreed, it would be issue decrees charged to fund financing.
Where is the Money Coming From? : Ten Stylized Fact on Financing Social Protection Responses to COVID-19
worldbank.org (nov 2020) The unprecedented and ongoing scale-up of social protection responses to the COVID-19 pandemic dwarf the response to the Great Recession. But how are countries financing such scale-up efforts? This note lays out ten stylized findings from a rapid review of social protection financing sources in thirty-one countries, including in terms of composition between external and domestic resources, and specific modalities within each.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: increase in budget to provide liquidity support to the most vulnerable sectors / activities
fbihvlada.gov.ba (16.10.2020)
Bulgaria: Bulgarian Cabinet approves further 81M leva to fight Covid-19 spread
The Sofia Globe (09.11.2020) Bulgaria’s Government has approved an additional 81 million leva, or about 41.4 million euro, for the country’s healthcare system to help fight the rising number of Covid-19 infections in the country. The funding will cover the rest of 2020.
65 million leva will go towards hospitals and other medical facilities to diagnose and treat coronavirus patients. 15 million leva would go towards the acquisition of rapid antigen tests, for use in the mobile diagnostics centres.
Norway: 300 million as income replacement for the events' sector
regjeringen.no (10.11.2020) The government proposes to provide NOK 300 million so that activity in the event industry can be resumed as soon as the contagion situation allows. The allocation can be increased if necessary.
Norway: Extra 7.3 billion for the municipalities
regjeringen.no (10.11.2020) In the supplementary issue, the government proposes that the municipal sector receive an extra NOK 7.3 billion in 2021 . The municipalities receive NOK 6.2 billion. 4.4 billion will be given as an increased population subsidy, while NOK 1.5 billion will be distributed as discretionary funds. In addition, the municipalities receive NOK 321 million from the framework grant for positions related to compliance with the rules for events, restaurants and employees.