Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Among many troubling images from the pandemic were families visiting elderly relatives on

either side of windows unable to embrace. COVID-19 has deprived billions of the human

touch that's not just an emotional luxury, it's a physical need. And most words have messy,

long lineages, often descended from a language's earliest form. Some words though, well,

they're just made up. But that's not to say it's easy to get people to use them or to

use them in the manner intended.

What's up though? Good evening my fellow Americans. Tonight I'd like to talk to you about where

we are as you mark one year since everything stopped because of this pandemic.

Last night, President Joe Biden spoke to America in a primetime address from the White House

for the first time since taking office. He promised to direct states to make all adults

eligible for a COVID vaccine by May and discussed the bill he had just signed into law, the American

Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion stimulus program. It extends unemployment benefits. It helps

small businesses, the lower its healthcare premiums for many. It provides food and nutrition,

keeps families in their homes. America is not the only country that's responded to the

crisis with increasing generosity. That's Margaret Hope, a 57 year old self-employed chef

based in Canada. When the pandemic swept away all of her work, she didn't expect much

outside help. After Alberta's oil crash in 2014, she received no government support and

had to close her restaurant. But this time around with COVID-19, the federal government

included the self-employed in its rescue package.

Across the world from America to Canada to Western Europe, the pandemic has prompted a

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