This divergence, described as a “K-shaped recession” by economists, means that the headline economic numbers in many ways underplay the financial stress and pain that families are feeling. And, as Trump’s tweet yesterday proved, it poses a potent political threat, dampening congressional interest in passing the trillions of dollars of emergency stimulus that the country desperately needs.

Annie Lowrey: The terrifying next phase of the coronavirus recession

As a general point, recessions tend to hit small companies harder than big companies, and less educated and lower-income workers harder than more educated and higher-income workers. But this recession and recovery have proved particularly skewed: Normalcy for some, apocalypse for others.

For businesses, the pandemic-driven downturn has decimated some sectors while leaving others untouched, acting like a tornado rather than a hurricane. Restaurants, hotels, and airlines have seen their revenue collapse, with United Airlines down nearly 90 percent in the second quarter,