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Assessing Alternative Indicators for Covid-19 Policy Evaluation, with a Counterfactual for Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Chiara Latour

    (University of Stockholm)

  • Franco Peracchi

    (University of Rome Tor Vergata and EIEF)

  • Giancarlo Spagnolo

    (SITE-Stockholm School of Economics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, and EIEF)

Abstract

We compare different indicators of the spread and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, developing a novel method to adjust daily COVID-19 deaths to match weekly excess mortality. Focusing on Sweden, the only country that has good data and did not impose a lockdown, we construct counterfactuals for what would have happened if it had imposed a lockdown, using a synthetic control method. Correcting for data problems and optimizing the synthetic control for each indicator considered, we find stronger effects than previously estimated. Most importantly, studying the ratio of positives to the number of tests, we find that a lockdown would have had sizable effects already after one week. The 3–4 weeks delay highlighted in previous studies appears mainly driven by the large changes in testing frequency that occurred in Sweden during the period considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Chiara Latour & Franco Peracchi & Giancarlo Spagnolo, 2021. "Assessing Alternative Indicators for Covid-19 Policy Evaluation, with a Counterfactual for Sweden," EIEF Working Papers Series 2107, Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF), revised Apr 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:eie:wpaper:2107
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    5. Sang-Wook (Stanley) Cho, 0. "Quantifying the impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 outbreak: The case of Sweden," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 23(3), pages 323-344.
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    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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