This readme file explains how to access the data and replicate the results in the paper

1. The data on covid stringency and case counts can be obtained here:https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus
 We impute both measure as zero for 2018 and most of 2019. 
2. ACSS data: This data is Protected B. This means that it cannot be shared under the current agreement between the Bank of Canada and Payments Canada. If you wish to obtain it you must reach out Payments Canada and request the following data streams from 1.1.2018 to 31.5.2022 : https://www.payments.ca/systems-services/rules-documentation

The format of the ACSS data is as follows
edate value_a value_n value_p value_q volume_a volume_n volume_p volume_q
Value: value of transactions cleared on calendar day edate
Volume: volume (number ) of transactions cleared on calendar day edate
a: ABM adjustments/refunds
n: ABM withdrawals
p: POS purchases
q: POS chargebacks

3. Interac data: this data is also Protected B. This means that it cannot be shared under the current agreement between the Bank of Canada and Payments Canada. If you wish to obtain it you must reach out to Interac and request daily aggregates for Interac Direct POS payment and ABM withdrawals. https://www.interac.ca/en/resources/getting-help/contact-us/



The format of the Interac data is as follows
edate  ratioABMPOSval ratioABMPOSvol ABMav POSav 
where edate is the calendar data in daily format, ratioABMPOSval is the  value of ABM withdrawal divided by the value of POS transactions,  ratioABMPOSvol is the volume of ABM withdrawal divided by the volume of POS transactions, ABMav is  value of ABM of ABM transactions divided by the volume of ABM transaction, and POSav is the value of POS transaction divided by the volume of POS transactions/ 

4. We provide Stata code to prepare the input for the MATLAB program, assuming that you have the ACSS data and Interac data mentioned above. The code file is "generatey.do"
5. To run this Stata code, you must ensure that the calendar dates in the Interac and ACSS files have the same format. To run the MATLAB code you must also ensure that the Covid data has calendar dates in a compatible format.
6. Organize the input for MATLAB code into an excel workbook as follows and save in the folder where MATLAB reads from (In our case '/home/wela/DW/MEDRC/MATLAB/INPUT')
Sheet Canada Stringency (has headers): 
Column A: Dates in rows 2 - 850, starting 1.1.2019
Column B: Stringency Index
Column C: New Cases
Column G: binary Lockdown 1
Column H : binary Reopening 1
Column I: binary Lockdown 2
Column J : binary Reopening 2
Column K: binary Lockdown 3
Column L : binary Reopening 3

Sheet yInterac2 
Column A: Datw (business days)
Column B: value ratio (ratioABMPOSval)
Column C: volume ratio (ratioABMPOSvol)
Column D:ABM (ABMav)
Column E: POS (POSav)


Sheet y
Column A: Datw (business days)
Column B: value ratio (ACSS )
Column C: volume ratio (ACSS)
Column D:ABM (ACSS)
Column E: POS (ACSS)

Sheet yacssinterac
Column A: Datw (business days)
Column B: ratioABMinteracacssval	: ABM value ACSS/ABM value interac
Column C:ratioABMinteracacssvol	: ABM vol ACSS/ABM vol interac
Column D:ratioPOSinteracacssval : : POS value ACSS/POS value interac
Column E: 	ratioPOSinteracacssvol: POS vol ACSS/POS vol interac

7. Run the matlab script located run_all.m
8. Make sure to create OUTPUT folders.