Sales in Italy tripled and it became a top-ten bestseller during its nationwide lockdown. Penguin Classics' editorial director said "it couldn’t be more relevant to the current moment" and Camus' daughter Catherine said that the message of the novel had newfound relevance in that "we are not responsible for coronavirus but we can be responsible in the way we respond to it".
Sales of the book soared in Italy, reaching a top-ten bestseller status during its nationwide lockdown. Penguin Classics' editorial director declared it was "more relevant than ever" and Camus' daughter Catherine stated that the novel's message had gained new relevance in that "we are not responsible for coronavirus but we can be responsible in how we respond to it".