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When Reality Bites: Local Deaths and Vaccine Take-up

Author

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  • Giulietti, Corrado

    (University of Southampton)

  • Vlassopoulos, Michael

    (University of Southampton)

  • Zenou, Yves

    (Monash University)

Abstract

We investigate whether COVID-19 deaths that occurred before vaccination rollouts impact subsequent vaccination take-up. We use data on local vaccination rates and COVID-19-related deaths from England measured at high geographic granularity. We find that vaccination take-up as of November 2021 is positively associated with pre-vaccine COVID-19-related deaths, controlling for demographic, economic, and health-related characteristics of the localities, while including geographic fixed effects. In addition, the share of ethnic minorities in a locality is negatively associated with vaccination rates, and localities with a larger share of ethnic minorities increase their vaccination rates if they are exposed to more COVID-related-deaths. Further evidence on vaccination intention at the individual level from a representative sample corroborates these patterns. Overall, our evidence suggests that social proximity to victims of the disease triggers a desire to take protective measures against it.

Suggested Citation

  • Giulietti, Corrado & Vlassopoulos, Michael & Zenou, Yves, 2022. "When Reality Bites: Local Deaths and Vaccine Take-up," IZA Discussion Papers 15462, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15462
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    3. Bonsang, Eric & Pronkina, Elizaveta, 2023. "Family size and vaccination among older individuals: The case of COVID-19 vaccine," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    vaccination hesitancy; COVID-19; social interactions; information; behavior change;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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