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COVID-19 Policy Differences across US States: Shutdowns, Reopening, and Mask Mandates

Author

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  • Xue Zhang

    (Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
    Department of Global Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA)

  • Mildred E. Warner

    (Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
    Department of Global Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA)

Abstract

This work used event study to examine the impact of three policies (shutdowns, reopening, and mask mandates) on changes in the daily COVID-19 infection growth rate at the state level in the US (February through August 2020). The results show the importance of early intervention: shutdowns and mask mandates reduced the COVID-19 infection growth rate immediately after being imposed statewide. Over the longer term, mask mandates had a larger effect on flattening the curve than shutdowns. The increase in the daily infection growth rate pushed state governments to shut down, but reopening led to significant increases in new cases 21 days afterward. The results suggest a dynamic social distancing approach: a shutdown for a short period followed by reopening, combined with universal mask wearing. We also found that the COVID-19 growth rate increased in states with higher percentages of essential workers (during reopening) and higher percentages of minorities (during the mask mandate period). Health insurance access for low-income workers (via Medicaid expansion) helped to reduce COVID-19 cases in the reopening model. The implications for public health show the importance of access to health insurance and mask mandates to protect low-income essential workers, but minority groups still face a higher risk of infection during the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Xue Zhang & Mildred E. Warner, 2020. "COVID-19 Policy Differences across US States: Shutdowns, Reopening, and Mask Mandates," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9520-:d:464717
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Joseph Zuccarelli & Laura Seaman & Kevin Rader, 2024. "Assessing the Impact of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on Consumer Mobility Patterns and COVID-19 Transmission in the US," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Thomas H. Lee & Bobby Do & Levi Dantzinger & Joshua Holmes & Monique Chyba & Steven Hankins & Edward Mersereau & Kenneth Hara & Victoria Y. Fan, 2022. "Mitigation Planning and Policies Informed by COVID-19 Modeling: A Framework and Case Study of the State of Hawaii," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-14, May.

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