IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/reoecp/v23y2023i2p105-158n3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effects of Social Distancing Measures on COVID-19 Spreads in European Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Pažický Martin

    (1 Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Management, Odbojárov 10, 820 05, Bratislava, Slovak Republic)

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of social distancing measures on various types of social mobility, using country- and day-fixed effects on a panel of daily data comprising 29 European countries. Although social distancing measures proved to be significant for all types of mobility in the examined period, they are best captured by retail and recreation mobility. Linear effects of restrictive measures on COVID-19 cases and deaths are examined by OLS regression with country- and day-fixed effects on a panel of 29 European countries, while non-linear effects were investigated by quantile regressions. Stricter mobility restrictions significantly reduced COVID-19 cases and deaths, but the variant of the virus was also an important determinant. Although the Delta variant was much more infectious, its mortality reduced. However, the impact of social distancing measures on COVID-19 cases and deaths was not constant but strengthened with increasing quantiles of the distribution of cases and deaths, suggesting that an early response from policy-makers was very important. Vaccination brought benefits for both cases and deaths, but a particularly beneficial effect can be seen on COVID-19 deaths. The vaccination benefits grew with the share of the vaccinated population. Distrust in public institutions proved to have a negative impact on both COVID-19 cases and deaths. The inclusion of a set of control variables (health, economic, social and demographic) revealed that country characteristics such as cardiovascular mortality, the share of male smokers, economic development, the proportion of the population living in extreme poverty, population density, the quality of education or the share of rural population were important determinants of COVID-19 spreads. The analysis of the linear and nonlinear effects of the stringency of measures on various categories of sales according to the digital cash collection system (eKasa) in Slovakia revealed that sales in essential sectors for consumers, such as retail and grocery stores, were relatively resistant to tightening measures, while sectors that are less essential for consumers were more sensitive to social distancing measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Pažický Martin, 2023. "The Effects of Social Distancing Measures on COVID-19 Spreads in European Countries," Review of Economic Perspectives, Sciendo, vol. 23(2), pages 105-158, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:reoecp:v:23:y:2023:i:2:p:105-158:n:3
    DOI: 10.2478/revecp-2023-0004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/revecp-2023-0004
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/revecp-2023-0004?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. Kenneth A. Couch & Robert W. Fairlie & Huanan Xu, 2022. "The evolving impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on gender inequality in the US labor market: The COVID motherhood penalty," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 60(2), pages 485-507, April.
    2. Abumalloh, Rabab Ali & Asadi, Shahla & Nilashi, Mehrbakhsh & Minaei-Bidgoli, Behrouz & Nayer, Fatima Khan & Samad, Sarminah & Mohd, Saidatulakmal & Ibrahim, Othman, 2021. "The impact of coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on education: The role of virtual and remote laboratories in education," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    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. Jayashree Premkumar Shet & Christy Paulina J, 2022. "Is There Tremendous Advancement in Educational Setting during COVID-19 Age? A Case Study of Nabhanya College, KSA," World Journal of English Language, Sciedu Press, vol. 12(8), pages 151-151, December.
    2. Kozhaya, Mireille, 2022. "The double burden: The impact of school closures on labor force participation of mothers," Ruhr Economic Papers 956, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    3. Wasserman, Melanie & Price, Brendan, 2022. "The Summer Drop in Female Employment," CEPR Discussion Papers 17354, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Sepasgozar, Samad M.E., 2022. "Immersive on-the-job training module development and modeling users’ behavior using parametric multi-group analysis: A modified educational technology acceptance model," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Osuna-Gomez, Daniel, 2023. "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on post-great recession entrants: Evidence from Mexico," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    6. Mariana Viollaz & Mauricio Salazar-Saenz & Luca Flabbim & Monserrat Bustelo & Mariano Bosch, 2022. "The COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin American and Caribbean countries: The Labor Supply Impact by Gender," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0296, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    7. Alina Mihaela Dima & Mihail Busu & Vanesa Madalina Vargas, 2022. "The mediating role of students’ ability to adapt to online activities on the relationship between perceived university culture and academic performance," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(4), pages 1253-1281, December.
    8. Joseph Richardson, 2023. "Health Risks and Labour Supply," Working Papers 379420583, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    9. Jon D. Samuels, 2023. "Introducing Demographic Labor Market Data into the U.S. National Accounts," BEA Papers 0118, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
    10. Lafuente, Cristina & Ruland, Astrid & Santaeulàlia-Llopis, Raül & Visschers, Ludo, 2023. "The effects of Covid-19 on couples’ job tenures: Mothers have it worse," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    11. Zibarzani, Masoumeh & Abumalloh, Rabab Ali & Nilashi, Mehrbakhsh & Samad, Sarminah & Alghamdi, O.A. & Nayer, Fatima Khan & Ismail, Muhammed Yousoof & Mohd, Saidatulakmal & Mohammed Akib, Noor Adelyna, 2022. "Customer satisfaction with Restaurants Service Quality during COVID-19 outbreak: A two-stage methodology," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    12. Inés Berniell & Leonardo Gasparini & Mariana Marchionni & Mariana Viollaz, 2023. "The role of children and work-from-home in gender labor market asymmetries: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1191-1214, December.
    13. Juan Duran-Vanegas, 2022. "Gender Gaps in the Labor Market Effects of COVID-19: Evidence for Mexico," Trinity Economics Papers tep0422, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics, revised May 2022.
    14. Camilleri, Mark Anthony & Camilleri, Adriana Caterina, 2022. "Remote learning via video conferencing technologies: Implications for research and practice," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    15. Athanasios Sypsas & Dimitris Kalles, 2023. "Analysis, Evaluation and Reusability of Virtual Laboratory Software Based on Conceptual Modeling and Conformance Checking," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, May.
    16. Sunoong Hwang & Heeju Shin, 2023. "Gender Gap in Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea: A Decomposition Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    17. Léonard Moulin & Mara Soncin, 2023. "Persistent and Gender-Unequal Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Student Outcomes in Italy," Working Papers 277, French Institute for Demographic Studies.
    18. Wichmann, Bruno & Wichmann, Roberta, 2022. "COVID-19 and Indigenous health in the Brazilian Amazon," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    19. Kairon Shayne D. Garcia & Benjamin W. Cowan, 2022. "The Impact of U.S. School Closures on Labor Market Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic," NBER Working Papers 29641, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Benjamin Hansen & Joseph J. Sabia & Jessamyn Schaller, 2022. "Schools, Job Flexibility, and Married Women's Labor Supply," NBER Working Papers 29660, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Coronavirus; Mobility; Quantile Regression; Stringency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General

    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:vrs:reoecp:v:23:y:2023:i:2:p:105-158:n:3. 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: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    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.