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Epidemiology's Time of Need: COVID-19 Calls for Epidemic-Related Economics

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  • Eleanor J. Murray

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has catapulted scientific conversations and scientific divisions into the public consciousness. Epidemiology and economics have long operated in distinct silos, but the COVID-19 pandemic presents a complex and cross-disciplinary problem that impacts all facets of society. Many economists have recognized this and want to engage in efforts to mitigate and control the pandemic, but others seem more interested in attacking epidemiology than attacking the virus. As an epidemiologist, I call upon economists to join with us in combating COVID-19 and in preventing future pandemics. In this essay, I attempt to provide some insight for economists into how epidemiology works, where it doesn't work, and the much-needed answers that economists can help us obtain. I hope this will spur economists towards an epidemic-related economics that can provide a blueprint for a healthy economy and population.

Suggested Citation

  • Eleanor J. Murray, 2020. "Epidemiology's Time of Need: COVID-19 Calls for Epidemic-Related Economics," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(4), pages 105-120, Fall.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:34:y:2020:i:4:p:105-20
    DOI: 10.1257/jep.34.4.105
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Chris Sampson’s journal round-up for 30th November 2020
      by Chris Sampson in The Academic Health Economists' Blog on 2020-11-30 12:00:05

    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics

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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandro Basurto & Herbert Dawid & Philipp Harting & Jasper Hepp & Dirk Kohlweyer, 2023. "How to design virus containment policies? A joint analysis of economic and epidemic dynamics under the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 18(2), pages 311-370, April.
    2. Chuard, Caroline & Schwandt, Hannes & Becker, Alex & Haraguchi, Masahiko, 2022. "Economic vs. Epidemiological Approaches to Measuring the Human Capital Impacts of Infectious Disease Elimination," IZA Discussion Papers 15420, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Fitzpatrick, Anne & Beg, Sabrin & Derksen, Laura & Karing, Anne & Kerwin, Jason & Lucas, Adrienne M. & Ordaz Reynoso, Natalia & Squires, Munir, 2021. "Health knowledge and non-pharmaceutical interventions during the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 33-53.
    4. Giménez, Víctor & Prior, Diego & Thieme, Claudio & Tortosa-Ausina, Emili, 2024. "International comparisons of COVID-19 pandemic management: What can be learned from activity analysis techniques?," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    5. Stankov, Petar, 2024. "Will voters polarize over pandemic restrictions? Theory and evidence from COVID-19," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    6. Michael E. Darden & David Dowdy & Lauren Gardner & Barton H. Hamilton & Karen Kopecky & Melissa Marx & Nicholas W. Papageorge & Daniel Polsky & Kimberly A. Powers & Elizabeth A. Stuart & Matthew V. Za, 2022. "Modeling to inform economy‐wide pandemic policy: Bringing epidemiologists and economists together," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(7), pages 1291-1295, July.
    7. Hubert Kempf & stéphane Rossignol, 2023. "Lockdown policies and the dynamics of a pandemic: foresight, rebounds and optimality," Documents de recherche 23-06, Centre d'Études des Politiques Économiques (EPEE), Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne.
    8. González-Val, Rafael & Marcén, Miriam, 2022. "Mass gathering events and the spread of infectious diseases: Evidence from the early growth phase of COVID-19," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    9. Wood, Aaron D. & Berry, Kevin, 2024. "COVID-19 transmission in a resource dependent community with heterogeneous populations: An agent-based modeling approach," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    10. Ricardo Martínez & Juan D Moreno Ternero, 2021. "Pandemic performance," ThE Papers 21/09, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    11. Jin, Xuejun & Chen, Cheng & Yang, Xiaolan, 2024. "The effect of international media news on the global stock market," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 50-69.
    12. Blas A. Marin-Lopez & David Jimenez-Gomez & José-María Abellán-Perpiñán, 2022. "Behavioral Economics in the Epidemiology of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Theory and Simulations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-23, August.
    13. Jie Feng & Jian Li & Wuyang Hu & Gucheng Li, 2022. "Public Interest, Risk, Trust, and Personal Protective Equipment Purchase and Usage: Face Masks Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-16, May.
    14. Lorenzo Amir Nemati Fard & Michele Starnini & Michele Tizzoni, 2023. "Modeling adaptive forward-looking behavior in epidemics on networks," Papers 2301.04947, arXiv.org.
    15. Martínez, Ricardo & Moreno-Ternero, Juan D., 2022. "An axiomatic approach towards pandemic performance indicators," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    16. Cerqueti, Roy & Tramontana, Fabio & Ventura, Marco, 2022. "The complex interplay between COVID-19 and economic activity," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 97-107.
    17. Beniamino Callegari & Christophe Feder, 2022. "A Literature Review of Pandemics and Development: the Long-Term Perspective," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 183-212, March.
    18. Gao, Haoyu & Wen, Huiyu & Wang, Xingjian, 2022. "Pandemic effect on corporate financial asset holdings: Precautionary or return-chasing?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    19. Chen, Hao & Xu, Chao, 2022. "The impact of cryptocurrencies on China's carbon price variation during COVID-19: A quantile perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    20. Jessica Carrick-Hagenbarth & Eric Edlund & Avanti Mukherjee, 2023. "Analysis of Hybrid Epidemiological-Economic Models of COVID-19 Mitigation Policies," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 585-612, October.
    21. Beniamino Callegari & Christophe Feder, 2022. "The long-term economic effects of pandemics: toward an evolutionary approach [Epidemics and trust: the case of the Spanish flu]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 31(3), pages 715-735.
    22. Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Borra, Cristina & Rivera-Garrido, Noelia & Sevilla, Almudena, 2021. "Early adoption of non-pharmaceutical interventions and COVID-19 mortality," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    23. Francesco Furno, 2020. "The Testing Multiplier: Fear vs Containment," Papers 2012.03834, arXiv.org.

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    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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