The impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Economic Performance of Saudi Arabia

In this paper, we address two sets of questions. First, what are the real economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Saudi Arabian economy? Are the economic effects temporary or persistent? Second, how do the local public health actions such as social distancing affect the economic severity of the pandemic? Does it have economic costs (i.e. lose jobs), or do policies that slow the spread of the pandemic also reduce its economic severity?