The work presented in this paper uses empirical evidence to highlight the important role digital technology plays in mitigating a pandemic's economic disruption. As extensive datasets including the effect of the current COVID-19 pandemic are still unavailable, this study provides an assessment of the role of digitization at the time of SARS in 2003. Results are robust in pointing out that those countries with better broadband connectivity were able to mitigate some of the economic losses incurred by the pandemic. While anecdotal evidence is plentiful even for COVID-19, this study provides rigorous analysis to support that a reliable telecommunications infrastructure and a high level of digitization is crucial to keep the economy running under pandemic conditions. These results provide valuable evidence for the current context of COVID-19, which has resulted in several national lockdowns around the world. In consequence, we believe that the public and private sectors must collaborate and work together to promote the enhancement of the digital ecosystem. In the long run, a suitable regulatory framework seems crucial to stimulate private investments to close the digital supply gap, as well as promoting the digitization of business process and the training of the workforce to acquire digital skills. In the short term, we discuss several measures that can be taken to accommodate the expected increases in internet traffic in such circumstances and maintain the quality of service.

中文翻译：

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数字化能否减轻大流行造成的经济损失？来自SARS的证据

本文中介绍的工作使用经验证据来强调数字技术在减轻大流行病的经济破坏方面发挥的重要作用。由于包括当前 COVID-19 大流行影响在内的广泛数据集仍不可用，因此本研究评估了数字化在 2003 年 SARS 时期的作用。结果有力地指出，那些宽带连接更好的国家能够以减轻疫情造成的部分经济损失。尽管关于 COVID-19 的轶事证据也很多，但这项研究提供了严格的分析，以支持可靠的电信基础设施和高水平的数字化对于保持经济在大流行条件下运行至关重要。这些结果为 COVID-19 的当前背景提供了宝贵的证据，这导致了世界各地的几个国家封锁。因此，我们认为公共和私营部门必须通力合作，共同推动数字生态系统的增强。从长远来看，合适的监管框架对于刺激私人投资以缩小数字供应差距以及促进业务流程数字化和劳动力培训以获得数字技能至关重要。在短期内，我们讨论了可以采取的几种措施，以适应这种情况下互联网流量的预期增长并保持服务质量。我们认为，公共和私营部门必须通力合作，共同促进数字生态系统的增强。从长远来看，合适的监管框架对于刺激私人投资以缩小数字供应差距以及促进业务流程数字化和劳动力培训以获得数字技能至关重要。在短期内，我们讨论了可以采取的几种措施，以适应这种情况下互联网流量的预期增长并保持服务质量。我们认为，公共和私营部门必须通力合作，共同促进数字生态系统的增强。从长远来看，合适的监管框架对于刺激私人投资以缩小数字供应差距以及促进业务流程数字化和劳动力培训以获得数字技能至关重要。在短期内，我们讨论了可以采取的几种措施，以适应这种情况下互联网流量的预期增长并保持服务质量。