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Role of media coverage in mitigating COVID-19 transmission: Evidence from China

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  • Liu, Ning
  • Chen, Zhuo
  • Bao, Guoxian

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of COVID-19 media coverage in mitigating its spread in China during the early phase of the pandemic. We construct a provincial-level dataset on COVID-19 and link it with population mobility data, among other control variables, to estimate how media coverage mitigates the spread of COVID-19. Seemingly unrelated regressions are used to examine the simultaneous impact of media coverage on the number of new cases and close contacts. The results show that the effect of media coverage on COVID-19 transmission in China had an inverse-U curvature and was mediated by within- and across-province population mobility. Our simulation results indicate that COVID-19 media coverage in China was associated with a potential reduction of 394,000 cases and 1.4 million close contacts during January 19 and February 29, 2020. Our results also provide strong support for the use of contact tracing in mitigating COVID-19 transmission.

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  • Liu, Ning & Chen, Zhuo & Bao, Guoxian, 2021. "Role of media coverage in mitigating COVID-19 transmission: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:163:y:2021:i:c:s0040162520312610
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120435
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    7. Koutou, Ousmane & Diabaté, Abou Bakari & Sangaré, Boureima, 2023. "Mathematical analysis of the impact of the media coverage in mitigating the outbreak of COVID-19," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 600-618.
    8. Khan, Ali Nawaz, 2021. "A diary study of psychological effects of misinformation and COVID-19 Threat on work engagement of working from home employees," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    9. Cruz-Cárdenas, Jorge & Zabelina, Ekaterina & Guadalupe-Lanas, Jorge & Palacio-Fierro, Andrés & Ramos-Galarza, Carlos, 2021. "COVID-19, consumer behavior, technology, and society: A literature review and bibliometric analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    10. Liu, Ning & Bao, Guoxian & Wu, Shaolong, 2023. "Social implications of Covid-19: Its impact on general trust, political trust, and trust in physicians in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).

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