Business Restrictions and COVID-19 Fatalities

The immediate effect of COVID-19 policies on social distancing behavior in the United States

Matthew Spiegel and Heather Tookes

The Review of Financial Studies, 2021, vol. 34, issue 11, 5266-5308

Abstract: We collect a time-series database of business and related restrictions for every county in the United States from March through December 2020. We find strong evidence consistent with the idea that employee mask policies, mask mandates for the general population, restaurant and bar closures, gym closures, and high-risk business closures reduce future fatality growth. Other business restrictions, such as second-round closures of low- to medium-risk businesses and personal care/spa services, did not generate consistent evidence of lowered fatality growth and may have been counterproductive.

JEL-codes: G38 H70 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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