Impacts of Social and Economic Factors on the Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China

Yun Qiu, Xi Chen and Wei Shi

No 494, GLO Discussion Paper Series from Global Labor Organization (GLO)

Abstract: This paper examines the role of various socioeconomic factors in mediating the local and cross-city transmissions of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in China. We implement a machine learning approach to select instrumental variables that strongly predict virus transmission among the rich exogenous weather characteristics. Our 2SLS estimates show that the stringent quarantine, massive lockdown and other public health measures imposed in late January significantly reduced the transmission rate of COVID-19. By early February, the virus spread had been contained. While many socioeconomic factors mediate the virus spread, a robust government response since late January played a determinant role in the containment of the virus. We also demonstrate that the actual population ow from the outbreak source poses a higher risk to the destination than other factors such as geographic proximity and similarity in economic conditions. The results have rich implications for ongoing global efforts in containment of COVID-19.

Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus; transmission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C23 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-big, nep-cmp, nep-cna and nep-hea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (176)

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Related works:
Journal Article: 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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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:glodps:494

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