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Lockdown, essential sectors, and Covid-19: Lessons from Italy

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  • Porto, Edoardo Di
  • Naticchioni, Paolo
  • Scrutinio, Vincenzo

Abstract

This paper investigates how economic activity impacted Covid-19 infections and all-cause mortality. To this purpose, we exploit the distribution of essential sectors, which were exempted from a national lockdown enacted in Italy during the first wave of the pandemic, across provinces and rich administrative data in a difference-in-differences framework. We find that a standard deviation increase in essential workers per built square kilometre leads to 1.1 additional daily cases and 0.32 additional daily deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Back of the envelope calculations suggest that about one third (47,000) of the Covid-19 cases and about 13% (13,000) of deaths between March and May of 2020 can be attributed to the less stringent lockdown for these sectors. The effect is heterogeneous across sectors. Finally, we find that the local health system played a relevant role in reducing fatalities with a higher number of general practitioners and hospital beds per capita being associated with a lower mortality.

Suggested Citation

  • Porto, Edoardo Di & Naticchioni, Paolo & Scrutinio, Vincenzo, 2022. "Lockdown, essential sectors, and Covid-19: Lessons from Italy," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:81:y:2022:i:c:s0167629621001570
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102572
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    Cited by:

    1. Abeliansky, Ana Lucia & Prettner, Klaus & Stöllinger, Roman, 2023. "Infection Risk at Work, Automatability, and Employment," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 352, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    2. Braakmann, Nils & Eberth, Barbara & Wildman, John, 2022. "Worker adjustment to unexpected occupational risk: Evidence from COVID-19," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    3. Gabriele Beccari & Matilde Giaccherini & Joanna Kopinska & Gabriele Rovigatti, 2023. "Refueling a Quiet Fire: Old Truthers and New Discontent in the Wake of Covid-19," CESifo Working Paper Series 10803, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; Lockdown; Essential sectors;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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