Size does matter

During the pandemic, plans to keep unemployment from rising quickly cost governments more than expected.

Furlough programs in Europe have covered a significant portion of business wages, while in the US, the stimulus package has primarily been delivered to the general public through mailed checks or credit lines to businesses.

The US government has sent most of its stimulus packages directly to individuals through checks or businesses through credit lines. However, in Europe, stimulus packages amount to 750 billion euros, compared to the US's 2.5 trillion dollars.

Here's a comparison of the measures taken in these three countries based on the size of the US economy.