Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/240910 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
GLO Discussion Paper No. 931
Publisher: 
Global Labor Organization (GLO), Essen
Abstract: 
This paper examines the causal impact of diagnostic efficiency on the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Using an instrumental variable approach, we show that a 1-day decrease in the time taken to confirm the first case in a city publicly led to 9.4% and 12.7% reductions in COVID-19 prevalence and mortality over the subsequent six months, respectively. The impact was larger for cities that are farther from the COVID-19 epicenter, are exposed to less migration, have more responsive public health systems, and have higher-capacity utilization of health systems. Social distancing and a less burdened health system are likely underlying mechanisms.
Subjects: 
Diagnostic Efficiency
Information Disclosure
Social Distancing
COVID-19
China
JEL: 
I18
D83
H75
I12
J61
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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