Table 1 Description of variables

Dependent variable

How severely has your household been affected by the Covid-19?

HHaffected

Not at all affected

1 if highly affected and severely affected

0 otherwise

Mildly affected

Moderately affected

Highly affected

Severely affected

Independent variable

What the household did to cope up the economic situation during COVID-19?

Food security

Foodreduction

Reduced quantity of food intake

1 if Yes

Lowqualityfood

Switched to lower quality or cheaper food

0 if No

Debt burden

Loanrelatives

Loans from relatives/friends

1 if Yes

0 if No

Loanemployer

Loans from employer/moneylenders/traders

Loanbanks

Loans from formal sources/NGOs/Banks

Communityassistance

Asked and received help/gift assistance from others in the community (not loans)

Loandeferment

Delayed payment of loans

Energy poverty

Electricitydefault

Nonpayment of Electricity bills

1 if Yes

0 if No

Gasdefault

Nonpayment of Gas bills

Essentials

Nonfoodreduction

Reduced nonfood expenses, i.e., health and education, clothing/shoes etc

1 if Yes

0 if No

Schooldropout

Discontinuation of Education of children due to nonavailability of monthly fee

Displacement

Temporary Migration due to loss of job/Migrated to look for livelihood opportunities

Capital flight

Productiveassets

Sold productive assets or means of transport (sewing machine, wheelbarrow, grain mill, agricultural tools, farm machinery, bicycle, car etc.)

1 if Yes

0 if No

Savings

Spent saving or investments

HHassets

Sold household assets/goods (radio, furniture, refrigerator, television, jewelry etc.)

Productivecattle

Sold last productive/female animal

Stockseed

Consumed seed stock held for the next season

Soldland

Sold house/land/plot

Controls

YoungHH

Household Roster: Age

1 if average age of household member is > 24 and 0 otherwise

(In completed years on last Birthday)

1if average gender balance is > 0.5 and 0 otherwise

Household Roster: Sex

1 if at least 20% of the household members have school education

MaledominatedHH

Male Female

0 otherwise

EducatedHH

Household Roster: Maximum Education attained

1 if ≥ 25,000 PKR

AboveavgHHincome

Section B – impact of COVID-19 on employment and income: Average Monthly income during Covid-19?

0 Otherwise

Remittances

Section B – impact of COVID-19 on employment and income: Does any member of your Household received Foreign Remittances (Rs outside Pakistan)?

1 if yes before and during the COVID-19 and 0 otherwise

Charity

Section B – impact of COVID-19 on employment and income: Does any member of your household usually receive zakat, usher, Sadaqat, or gift (kind, Cash) Including BISP, Ehsaas, Bait ul Mal public, Private

1 if yes during the COVID-19 and 0 otherwise

RuralHH

Control

Yes

Provincial fixed effects

Control

Yes