Information and behavioral responses during a pandemic: Evidence from delays in Covid-19 death reports

Emilio Gutierrez, Adrian Rubli and Tiago Tavares

Journal of Development Economics, 2022, vol. 154, issue C

Abstract: Providing information is important for managing epidemics, but issues with data accuracy may hinder its effectiveness. Focusing on Covid-19 in Mexico, we ask whether delays in death reports affect individuals’ beliefs and behavior. Exploiting administrative data and an online survey, we provide evidence that behavior, and consequently the evolution of the pandemic, are considerably different when death counts are presented by date reported rather than by date occurred, due to non-negligible reporting delays. We then use an equilibrium model incorporating an endogenous behavioral response to illustrate how reporting delays lead to slower individual responses, and consequently, worse epidemic outcomes.

Keywords: Information; Reporting delays; Behavior; Social distancing; Covid-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D83 H12 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:154:y:2022:i:c:s0304387821001346

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2021.102774

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