Official Statistics in the Wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Central Banking Perspective

Abstract

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic (CV19) on \nofficial statistics has been large and multiform. As regards central banks, \ntheir statisticians responded proactively to the related data disruptions, and \nnew ways were found to address policy information needs. But the pandemic also \ntriggered a general review of their statistical functions with the view of \nreorganising statistical production chains. In that sense, the pandemic proved \nto be a wake-up call for official statistics, underscoring the need for a new, \nenhanced global framework to improve existing core statistics and address new \ndata needs. The completion of the G20 Data Gaps Initiative at the end of 2021 \nwill provide a key opportunity to support this endeavour and enhance the global \nstatistical infrastructure.