Impacts of social and economic factors on the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China

Yun Qiu (), Xi Chen and Wei Shi ()
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Yun Qiu: Jinan University
Wei Shi: Jinan University

Journal of Population Economics, 2020, vol. 33, issue 4, No 1, 1127-1172

Abstract: Abstract This study models local and cross-city transmissions of the novel coronavirus in China between January 19 and February 29, 2020. We examine the role of various socioeconomic mediating factors, including public health measures that encourage social distancing in local communities. Weather characteristics 2 weeks prior are used as instrumental variables for causal inference. Stringent quarantines, city lockdowns, and local public health measures imposed in late January significantly decreased the virus transmission rate. The virus spread was contained by the middle of February. Population outflow from the outbreak source region posed a higher risk to the destination regions than other factors, including geographic proximity and similarity in economic conditions. We quantify the effects of different public health measures in reducing the number of infections through counterfactual analyses. Over 1.4 million infections and 56,000 deaths may have been avoided as a result of the national and provincial public health measures imposed in late January in China.

Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus; Transmission; Quarantine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C23 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (183)

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Working Paper: Impacts of Social and Economic Factors on the Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China (2020)
Working Paper: Impacts of Social and Economic Factors on the Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China (2020)
Working Paper: Impacts of Social and Economic Factors on the Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China (2020)
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DOI: 10.1007/s00148-020-00778-2

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