The 1918 Influenza Pandemic and its Lessons for COVID-19

Brian Beach, Karen Clay and Martin Saavedra ()

No 27673, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This article reviews the global health and economic consequences of the 1918 influenza pandemic, with a particular focus on topics that have seen a renewed interest because of COVID-19. We begin by providing an overview of key contextual and epidemiological details as well as the data that are available to researchers. We then examine the effects on mortality, fertility, and the economy in the short and medium run. The role of nonpharmaceutical interventions in shaping those outcomes is discussed throughout. We then examine longer-lasting health consequences and their impact on human capital accumulation and socioeconomic status. Throughout the paper we highlight important areas for future work.

JEL-codes: I10 J10 J24 N0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-his
Note: CH DAE EH LS PE
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Published as Brian Beach & Karen Clay & Martin Saavedra, 2022. "The 1918 Influenza Pandemic and Its Lessons for COVID-19," Journal of Economic Literature, vol 60(1), pages 41-84.

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Journal Article: The 1918 Influenza Pandemic and Its Lessons for COVID-19 (2022)
Working Paper: The 1918 Influenza Pandemic and its Lessons for COVID-19 (2020)
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