IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/worlde/v45y2022i10p3246-3268.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

COVID‐19 test‐kit trade and trade policy: Implications for developing countries

Author

Listed:
  • Long Hai Vo
  • Thai‐Ha Le

Abstract

At the centre of the multi‐dimensional impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the shortage of medical supplies in countries with weaker healthcare systems significantly reduced the effectiveness of national and international public health interventions. Using a database of test‐kit trade flows and barriers, we estimate the price responsiveness of test‐kit demand in a global sample of countries. These estimates allow us to investigate the degree to which import tariffs by leading producers could result in a disruption in global supply chains, price increases, and welfare loss. Simulation experiments indicate that the combination of rising demand for test kits and import dependence magnifies the impact of trade barriers on consumer welfare and this impact is more profound for developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Long Hai Vo & Thai‐Ha Le, 2022. "COVID‐19 test‐kit trade and trade policy: Implications for developing countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(10), pages 3246-3268, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:45:y:2022:i:10:p:3246-3268
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.13276
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.13276
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/twec.13276?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Clements, Kenneth W. & Gao, Grace, 2015. "The Rotterdam demand model half a century on," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 91-103.
    2. Christian Gollier & Olivier Gossner, 2020. "Group testing against Covid-19," Post-Print hal-02550740, HAL.
    3. Giancarlo Moschini & Daniele Moro & Richard D. Green, 1994. "Maintaining and Testing Separability in Demand Systems," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 76(1), pages 61-73.
    4. Kenneth W. Clements, 2019. "Four Laws of Consumption," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 95(310), pages 358-385, September.
    5. Heathcote, Jonathan & Perri, Fabrizio, 2002. "Financial autarky and international business cycles," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 601-627, April.
    6. Paul R. Bergin, 2017. "How Well Can the New Open Economy Macroeconomics Explain the Exchange Rate and Current Account?," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: International Macroeconomic Interdependence, chapter 5, pages 117-152, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Hiau Looi Kee & Alessandro Nicita & Marcelo Olarreaga, 2008. "Import Demand Elasticities and Trade Distortions," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(4), pages 666-682, November.
    8. Christensen, Laurits R & Jorgenson, Dale W & Lau, Lawrence J, 1975. "Transcendental Logarithmic Utility Functions," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 65(3), pages 367-383, June.
    9. Arnold C. Harberger, 1957. "Some Evidence on the International Price Mechanism," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 65, pages 506-506.
    10. William A. Barnett, 1979. "Theoretical Foundations for the Rotterdam Model," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 46(1), pages 109-130.
    11. Deaton, Angus S, 1974. "The Analysis of Consumer Demand in the United Kingdom, 1900-1970," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 42(2), pages 341-367, March.
    12. Mountain, Dean C, 1988. "The Rotterdam Model: An Approximation in Variable Space," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(2), pages 477-484, March.
    13. Kenneth W. Clements & Long Hai Vo, 2021. "Global Consumption Patterns, Quality And Food Demand," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 21-17, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    14. Clements, Kenneth W. & Vo, Long Hai & Mariano, Marc Jim, 2021. "Modelling import penetration," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    15. Giorgia Guglielmi, 2020. "The explosion of new coronavirus tests that could help to end the pandemic," Nature, Nature, vol. 583(7817), pages 506-509, July.
    16. Simon J. Evenett & David Vines, 2012. "Crisis-era protectionism and the multilateral governance of trade: an assessment," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 28(2), pages 195-210, SUMMER.
    17. William A. Barnett & Ousmane Seck, 2008. "Rotterdam model versus almost ideal demand system: will the best specification please stand up?," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(6), pages 795-824.
    18. Deaton, Angus S & Muellbauer, John, 1980. "An Almost Ideal Demand System," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(3), pages 312-326, June.
    19. Kadjo, Abena Lucie & Seale, James L. Jr., 2014. "U.S. Imports Demand for Cocoa Products by Country of Origin," 2014 Annual Meeting, February 1-4, 2014, Dallas, Texas 162464, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kenneth W Clements & Yihui Lan & Haiyan Liu & Long Vo, 2022. "The Icp, Ppp And Household Expenditure Patterns," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 22-18, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    2. Clements, Kenneth W. & Gao, Grace, 2015. "The Rotterdam demand model half a century on," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 91-103.
    3. Frank T. Denton & Dean C. Mountain & Byron G Spencer, 2006. "Errors of aggregation and errors of specification in a consumer demand model: a theoretical note," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(4), pages 1398-1407, November.
    4. Ignacio, Escañuela Romana, 2019. "The elasticities of passenger transport demand in the Northeast Corridor," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    5. Shashika D. Rathnayaka & Saroja Selvanathan & E. A. Selvanathan, 2021. "Demand for animal‐derived food in selected Asian countries: A system‐wide analysis," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(1), pages 97-122, January.
    6. Barnett, William A. & Serletis, Apostolos, 2008. "The Differential Approach to Demand Analysis and the Rotterdam Model," MPRA Paper 12319, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Holt, Matthew T., 2002. "Inverse demand systems and choice of functional form," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 117-142, January.
    8. Kenneth W. Clements & E. A. Selvanathan & Saroja Selvanathan, 1992. "Henri Theil’s Contributions to Demand Analysis," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Ronald Bewley & Tran Hoa (ed.), Contributions to Consumer Demand and Econometrics, chapter 5, pages 74-104, Palgrave Macmillan.
    9. William A. Barnett & Isaac Kalonda Kanyama, 2013. "Time-varying parameters in the almost ideal demand system and the Rotterdam model: will the best specification please stand up?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(29), pages 4169-4183, October.
    10. Barnett, William A. & Serletis, Apostolos, 2008. "Measuring Consumer Preferences and Estimating Demand Systems," MPRA Paper 12318, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. William A. Barnett & Isaac Kalonda Kanyama, 2013. "Time-varying parameters in the almost ideal demand system and the Rotterdam model: will the best specification please stand up?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(29), pages 4169-4183, October.
    12. E.A. Selvanathan, 1987. "The Economic Theory of the Consumer," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 87-05, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    13. Kenneth W Clements, 2023. "Tastes," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 23-01, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    14. Toshinobu Matsuda, 2005. "Differential Demand Systems: A Further Look at Barten's Synthesis," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(3), pages 607-619, January.
    15. Barnett, William A. & Serletis, Apostolos, 2008. "Consumer preferences and demand systems," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 147(2), pages 210-224, December.
    16. Korir, Lilian & Rizov, Marian & Ruto, Eric, 2020. "Food security in Kenya: Insights from a household food demand model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 99-108.
    17. Giancarlo Moschini & Vissa Anuradha, 1993. "Flexible Specification of Mixed Demand Systems," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 75(1), pages 1-9.
    18. William Barnett & Ousmane Seck, 2006. "Rotterdam vs Almost Ideal Models: Will the Best Demand Specification Please Stand Up?," WORKING PAPERS SERIES IN THEORETICAL AND APPLIED ECONOMICS 200605, University of Kansas, Department of Economics.
    19. Piggott, Nicholas E. & Marsh, Thomas L., 2001. "Impacts of Food Safety on U.S. Meat Demand," 2001 Conference (45th), January 23-25, 2001, Adelaide, Australia 125781, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    20. Mora Rodriguez, Jhon James, 2013. "Introduccion a la teoría del consumidor [Introduction to Consumer Theory]," MPRA Paper 48129, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 08 Jul 2013.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:45:y:2022:i:10:p:3246-3268. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0378-5920 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.