Urban and rural areas have seen similar impacts from COVID-19 in Kenya

ABSTRACT

The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated containment and mitigation responses on rural and urban livelihoods in Kenya. Results show that rural and urban areas experienced similar, significant declines in reported incomes of households following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A majority of households in both areas also experienced reduction in the amount of food they consumed and in the quality of their diet. It is suggested that there is need to expand social safety net programmes to support affected households in both rural and urban areas. It is also important to prioritize mass vaccination of the population to facilitate faster return to normal participation in economic activities.