COVID-19 in Zambia: Implications for Family, Social, Economic, and Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted Zambian life. Prior to the pandemic, persistent levels of inequality across urban/rural, educational, and socioeconomic divides characterized Zambia’s health and family patterns. Zambia’s government reacted decisively to the threat, shutting down many businesses, schools, and other social gatherings prior to the first confirmed cases. Fortunately, the country has not had many deaths. The indirect effects of COVID-19, however, on Zambian families mean many have lost income (via a reduction in the size of both the formal and, particularly, the informal sectors) and many businesses struggle with increased costs and reduced revenues. The healthcare system, particularly in rural areas, is strained. While the effect on the education system likely will not be fully visible for many years, it is likely that fewer children will pass their examinations this year, thereby reducing human capital in the next generation. In contrast, Zambia’s wealthy, often concentrated in the two economic and population hubs of Lusaka, the capital, and the Copperbelt province, are spending greater time with their families while using their substantial resources to maintain their standard of living. The ability to engage in physical distancing varies as well, with the privileged able to do so by staying home and shopping at smaller, more expensive (but less patronized) shops while the poor crowd into congested neighborhoods and markets. These deep inequalities will likely continue to shape Zambian society in both the near and long-term future, well after the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has faded from collective memory.

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