The coronavirus pandemic has swiftly spread worldwide, claiming the lives of many adults and children and showing that no one is safe from its effects. Yorkshire’s towns and cities are among the hardest hit financially, with the region’s economic output dropping by £170 million per day during the lockdown. A simple walk around Yorkshire’s high streets reveals the visible impact on its already fragile economy.

A report on the economic impacts of the pandemic highlights that industries like finance and construction will be severely affected. Unemployment is projected to more than double, rising from 3.8% in 2019 to 7.9% in 2020, an increase of nearly 1.5 million workers, reaching a total of almost 2.9 million.

Bradford and Hull are among the top ten areas expected to struggle the most with long-term recovery. Kirklees and Calderdale in West Yorkshire will also face significant job losses. Leeds and Wakefield are near the top of the list for short-term impacts, with 69% of jobs at moderate or severe risk. Bradford and Hull are particularly concerning due to their pre-existing high unemployment rates, and the pandemic is likely to exacerbate inequalities in these already weak labor markets. While parts of London and the South East will also face job losses, they are expected to recover more quickly than cities in the North and Midlands.

Young people, especially those aged 20 to 24, are more vulnerable to the economic impacts of the pandemic, as they are less likely to work in sectors like education, health, or public administration, which have seen fewer furloughs or redundancies.

It is crucial for decision-makers to understand that national or even regional data can obscure local realities. Accurate, localized data should guide decisions for economic recovery from the coronavirus, particularly if much of the coming decade will be spent addressing the damage caused by the pandemic.