OECD.org

The coronavirus presents the global economy with its greatest danger since the financial crisis, according to the OECD’s latest Interim Economic Outlook. The OECD calls on governments to act immediately to limit the spread of the coronavirus, protect people and businesses from its effects and shore up demand in the economy.

The OECD advises countries on how to meet future demand for health professionals and how to manage the supply of health workers. This report describes recent trends in the international migration of doctors and nurses in OECD countries.

Telehealth is not a substitute for seeing real doctors, but can play a valuable role in patient-centred healthcare and in closing the rural-urban divide as well. But it will require investment and determined policies.

International merchandise trade in the G20 countries continued downwards in Q4 2019, as exports and imports slid to their lowest levels in two years. Disruption to Asian supply chains in particular, related to Covid-19 (coronavirus) suggests that this trend could continue in Q1 2020.

The volume of corporate debt reached an all-time high in real terms of USD13.5 trillion at the end of 2019, driven by the return of more expansionary monetary policies early in the year. Additionally, the overall quality of corporate debt has declined, according to a new OECD report, Corporate Bond Market Trends, Emerging Risks and Monetary Policy.