Using the synthetic control method to determine the impact of state-level mask mandates on COVID-19 fatality rates

Mark Gius

Applied Economics, 2024, vol. 56, issue 43, 5181-5189

Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to determine if state-level mask mandates significantly reduced COVID-19 fatality rates. Using weekly data for the period 22 January 2020 to 1 February 2022 and a synthetic control method, results indicated that mask mandates were associated with reductions in COVID-19 fatalities. In both California and Washington, mask mandates were associated with a reduction in COVID-19 fatality rates, especially after COVID-19 vaccines became readily available in April of 2021. In Oregon, there was no statistically significant relationship between mask mandates and COVID-19 fatality rates. To test the robustness of these results, a random effects model was also estimated, and it was also found that mask mandates were associated with a significant reduction in COVID-19 fatality rates. Findings also indicated that states with larger elderly populations and larger populations of African-Americans had significantly higher COVID-19 fatality rates.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/00036846.2023.2244244 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:applec:v:56:y:2024:i:43:p:5181-5189

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/RAEC20

DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2023.2244244

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Economics is currently edited by Anita Phillips

More articles in Applied Economics from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().