Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from Switzerland
Abstract We study the interplay of non-pharmaceutical containment measures, human behavior, and the spread of COVID-19 in Switzerland. First, we collect sub-national data and construct indices that capture the stringency of containment measures at the cantonal level. Second, we use a vector autoregr...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41937-022-00083-7 |
| _version_ | 1818499406801928192 |
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| author | Regina Pleninger Sina Streicher Jan-Egbert Sturm |
| author_facet | Regina Pleninger Sina Streicher Jan-Egbert Sturm |
| author_sort | Regina Pleninger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We study the interplay of non-pharmaceutical containment measures, human behavior, and the spread of COVID-19 in Switzerland. First, we collect sub-national data and construct indices that capture the stringency of containment measures at the cantonal level. Second, we use a vector autoregressive model to analyze feedback effects between our variables of interest via structural impulse responses. Our results suggest that increases in the stringency of containment measures lead to a significant reduction in weekly infections as well as debit card transactions, which serve as a proxy for behavioral changes in the population. Furthermore, analyzing different policy measures individually shows that business closures, recommendations to work from home, and restrictions on gatherings have been particularly effective in containing the spread of COVID-19 in Switzerland. Finally, our findings indicate a sizeable voluntary reduction in debit card transactions in response to a positive infection shock. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:28:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8879b09afbbd407ca1a156f20de90307 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2235-6282 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:28:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics |
| spelling | doaj.art-8879b09afbbd407ca1a156f20de903072022-12-22T01:34:46ZengSpringerOpenSwiss Journal of Economics and Statistics2235-62822022-02-01158112410.1186/s41937-022-00083-7Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from SwitzerlandRegina Pleninger0Sina Streicher1Jan-Egbert Sturm2KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH ZurichKOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH ZurichKOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH ZurichAbstract We study the interplay of non-pharmaceutical containment measures, human behavior, and the spread of COVID-19 in Switzerland. First, we collect sub-national data and construct indices that capture the stringency of containment measures at the cantonal level. Second, we use a vector autoregressive model to analyze feedback effects between our variables of interest via structural impulse responses. Our results suggest that increases in the stringency of containment measures lead to a significant reduction in weekly infections as well as debit card transactions, which serve as a proxy for behavioral changes in the population. Furthermore, analyzing different policy measures individually shows that business closures, recommendations to work from home, and restrictions on gatherings have been particularly effective in containing the spread of COVID-19 in Switzerland. Finally, our findings indicate a sizeable voluntary reduction in debit card transactions in response to a positive infection shock.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41937-022-00083-7COVID-19Reproduction rateStringencySwitzerland |
| spellingShingle | Regina Pleninger Sina Streicher Jan-Egbert Sturm Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from Switzerland Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics COVID-19 Reproduction rate Stringency Switzerland |
| title | Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from Switzerland |
| title_full | Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from Switzerland |
| title_fullStr | Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from Switzerland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from Switzerland |
| title_short | Do COVID-19 containment measures work? Evidence from Switzerland |
| title_sort | do covid 19 containment measures work evidence from switzerland |
| topic | COVID-19 Reproduction rate Stringency Switzerland |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41937-022-00083-7 |
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