Economics
Lockdowns Test the Economic Endurance of Desperate Americans
- Consumer spending drops as virus raises shoppers’ anxiety
- Millions of unemployed workers to lose benefits by December
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American workers and businesses face a months-long survival test until Covid-19 vaccines become widely available as spending plunges with record daily cases prompting a sudden return to lockdowns.
More than 1 million U.S. virus cases were reported in the past week, leading states including Michigan, New Mexico and California to set tighter rules on movement and commerce. A wide swath of businesses -- restaurants, hotels, retail shops, bowling alleys and theaters -- will confront a devastating winter, if they are able to remain open at all. Many workers face the holidays with food and shelter in doubt.