A rational-choice model of Covid-19 transmission with endogenous quarantining and two-sided prevention

Joydeep Bhattacharya, Shankha Chakraborty and Xiumei Yu

Journal of Mathematical Economics, 2021, vol. 93, issue C

Abstract: This paper offers a parsimonious, rational-choice model to study the effect of pre-existing inequalities on the transmission of COVID-19. Agents decide whether to “go out” (or self-quarantine) and, if so, whether to wear protection such as masks. Three elements distinguish the model from existing work. First, non-symptomatic agents do not know if they are infected. Second, some of these agents unknowingly transmit infections. Third, we permit two-sided prevention via the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions: the probability of a person catching the virus from another depends on protection choices made by each. We find that a mean-preserving increase in pre-existing income inequality unambiguously increases the equilibrium proportion of unprotected, socializing agents and may increase or decrease the proportion who self-quarantine. Strikingly, while higher pre-COVID inequality may or may not raise the overall risk of infection, it increases the risk of disease in social interactions.

Keywords: COVID; Inequality; Infection risk; Quarantine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Related works:
Working Paper: A rational-choice model of Covid-19 transmission with endogenous quarantining and two-sided prevention (2021)
Working Paper: A Rational-Choice Model of Covid-19 Transmission with Endogenous Quarantining and Two-sided Prevention (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:mateco:v:93:y:2021:i:c:s0304406821000306

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmateco.2021.102492

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