The Advantages of the Zero-COVID-19 Strategy

Zhaohui Su, Ali Cheshmehzangi, Dean McDonnell, Junaid Ahmad, Sabina Šegalo, Yu-Tao Xiang and Claudimar Pereira da Veiga
Additional contact information
Zhaohui Su: School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
Ali Cheshmehzangi: Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China
Dean McDonnell: Department of Humanities, South East Technological University, R93 V960 Carlow, Ireland
Junaid Ahmad: Prime Institute of Public Health, Peshawar Medical College, Warsak Road, Peshawar 25160, Pakistan
Sabina Šegalo: Faculty of Health Studies, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Yu-Tao Xiang: Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China
Claudimar Pereira da Veiga: Fundação Dom Cabral—FDC, Av. Princesa Diana, 760 Alphaville, Lagoa dos Ingleses, Nova Lima 34018-006, MG, Brazil

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: Introduction : To curb the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the globe have adopted either a mitigation or anelimination policy, such as the zero-COVID-19 strategy. However, further research is needed to systematically investigate the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy in the literature. To bridge the research gap, this study examines the zero-COVID-19 strategy in terms of its advantages as a global anti-pandemic framework. Methods : A literature review was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus to locate academic articles that discussed the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach was adopted to guide the data analysis process. Results : The findings of our study show that the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy range from short-term (e.g., limited virus infections, hospitalizations, and deaths), to medium-term (e.g., reduced presence of other infectious diseases), and long-term (e.g., low incidence of long COVID-19). While local residents mainly leverage these advantages, they also impact the global community (e.g., stable global supply of essentials, such as COVID-19 vaccines). Conclusions : COVID-19 is catastrophic, yet controllable. Our study examined the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy from a nuanced perspective and discussed how these advantages benefit both the local and the global community in pandemic control and management. Future studies could investigate the shortcomings of the zero-COVID-19 strategy, especially its unintended consequences, such as adverse impacts on vulnerable populations’ mental health, so that society could more efficiently, economically, and empathetically capitalize on the potential of the zero-COVID-19 strategy for the betterment of personal and public health.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus; zero-COVID-19 strategy; virus elimination; public health policies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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