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Public Attention and Policy Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

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  • Aksoy, Cevat Giray

    (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

  • Ganslmeier, Michael

    (University of Oxford)

  • Poutvaara, Panu

    (University of Munich)

Abstract

Early non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) significantly reduced the death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, there are vast differences in how quickly governments implemented NPIs. In this paper, we analyze the role of public attention, measured as the share of daily Google searches in a country related to COVID-19, in the timing of the NPI responses. We first show that public attention depends strongly on whether there are cases in own country. We then show that countries with high levels of public attention are more likely to implement NPIs, even after controlling for the number of cases and deaths. Finally, we show that the extent to which a government responds to public attention is highly dependent on the country's institutional quality. The positive effect of public attention on policy implementation is driven entirely by countries with good institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Aksoy, Cevat Giray & Ganslmeier, Michael & Poutvaara, Panu, 2020. "Public Attention and Policy Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic," IZA Discussion Papers 13427, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13427
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Covid-19 > Politics

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    1. Abel Brodeur & David Gray & Anik Islam & Suraiya Bhuiyan, 2021. "A literature review of the economics of COVID‐19," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1007-1044, September.
    2. Panu Poutvaara & Madhinee Valeyatheepillay & Panu Poutvaara, 2020. "Covid-19 Pandemic: Challenges and a Way Forward," EconPol Policy Reports 30, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    3. Luca Di Gialleonardo & Mauro Marè & Antonello Motroni & Francesco Porcelli, 2020. "Family Ties and the Pandemic: Some Evidence from Sars-CoV-2," Working papers 100, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    4. Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Michael Lokshin & Iván Torre, 2021. "Opening-Up Trajectories and Economic Recovery: Lessons after the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 67(3), pages 332-369.
    5. Leah Ruppanner & Xiao Tan & Andrea Carson & Shaun Ratcliff, 2021. "Emotional and financial health during COVID‐19: The role of housework, employment and childcare in Australia and the United States," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 1937-1955, September.
    6. Jennifer Castañeda‐Navarrete & Jostein Hauge & Carlos López‐Gómez, 2021. "COVID‐19’s impacts on global value chains, as seen in the apparel industry," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(6), pages 953-970, November.
    7. Amanda C. Stype & Mehmet E. Yaya & Jayson Osika, 2023. "Non-pharmaceutical Interventions and COVID-19: Do County- and State-Level Policies Predict the Spread of COVID-19?," Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 126-142, June.
    8. De Simone Elina & Mourao Paulo Reis, 2021. "What determines governments’ response time to COVID-19? A cross-country inquiry on the measure restricting internal movements," Open Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 4(1), pages 106-117, January.
    9. Sumedha Gupta & Kosali I. Simon & Coady Wing, 2020. "Mandated and Voluntary Social Distancing During The COVID-19 Epidemic: A Review," NBER Working Papers 28139, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Colbert, Stephanie & Wilkinson, Claire & Thornton, Louise & Feng, Xiaoqi & Richmond, Robyn, 2021. "Online alcohol sales and home delivery: An international policy review and systematic literature review," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(9), pages 1222-1237.
    11. Maria Daskalaki, 2021. "The subversive potential of witchcraft: A reflection on Federici's Self‐reproducing movements," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 1643-1660, July.
    12. Benjamin D. Horne & Natalie M. Rice & Catherine A. Luther & Damian J. Ruck & Joshua Borycz & Suzie L. Allard & Michael Fitzgerald & Oleg Manaev & Brandon C. Prins & Maureen Taylor & R. Alexander Bentl, 2023. "Generational effects of culture and digital media in former Soviet Republics," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    13. Yan Wang, 2022. "Does Governance Quality Matter for the Selection of Policy Stringency to Fight COVID-19?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-14, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; non-pharmaceutical interventions; public attention; institutional quality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • H12 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Crisis Management
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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