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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #25: Public Support for Measures Aimed at Curbing COVID-19
From the Document: "As COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] continues to surge nationwide, some particularly hard-hit localities are implementing (or re-implementing) relatively strict measures to protect public safety. While many of these measures have been shown to be effective at slowing down COVID-19 transmission in the US (and other countries) in earlier months, the potential implementation of measures such as closing non-essential businesses, adopting distance learning, and restricting restaurants to take-out have provoked fierce debates around the country. While some advocates have sought to frame the debate as a choice between public health and education, on the one hand, or the economy, on the other, in many respects the decisions that public health officials face are far more complicated, and public views on these topics more nuanced. [...] In the post-election (November) wave of our survey, we asked respondents whether and to what extent they approved or disapproved of seven such measures intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19[.]"
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Baum, Matthew A., 1965-; Uslu, Ata A.; Santillana, Mauricio . . .
2020-11-27
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AEI Political Report (Volume 16, Issue 11)
This journal is a compilation of citizen polls and the results. Included in this issue are polls comprised of the following topics: 1.) Coronavirus: What Now? 2.) Vaccine Views 3.) Partisans' and Generations' Comfort Levels with Various Activities 4.) Personal Experience 5.) Who We Trust to Handle 6.) Election Legitimacy 2000, 2016 and 2020 and 7.) Ordinary Life: Holiday Cheer. From the document: "Even with encouraging news about vaccines, many Americans believe the worst is yet to come in terms of the coronavirus pandemic, and they have felt this way for some time. At the same time, 47 percent in an Axios/Ipsos online poll are extremely or very concerned about another wave of lockdowns and business closures in their area. Majorities of Americans say wearing a mask in public should be mandatory. In 'The Economist'/YouGov online trend which we note below, around a third in the past two months believe a federal mask requirement is a violation of their civil liberties."
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
2020-12
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #30: Economic Hardships Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Key Findings: "[1] Parents with children at home are more likely than respondents without children at home to have experienced all five economic hardships, while women with kids at home are more likely than men with kids at home to have experienced four of the five hardships. The overall gaps range from a low of 4 percentage points for eviction from their home (6% for parents vs. 2% for non-parents), to highs of 11 points for taking pay cuts (26% vs. 17%) and being unable to make a rent or mortgage payment (21% vs. 10%)[.] [2] Economic hardships are fairly evenly distributed across partisan groups and regions of the country. [3] Respondents who report having had COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] (whether diagnosed by a medical professional or otherwise) are more likely than respondents who report not having had had COVID-19 to have suffered a series of five economic hardships we included in the survey, including losing a job, being evicted from their home, being unable to pay rent or their mortgage, taking a pay cut, or having to cut back on work to take care of a child. [4] Hispanics are more likely than other racial/ethnic groups to have experienced all five economic hardships. [5] We find fairly wide variations across the 50 states in the percentages of residents having experienced economic hardships, and no consistent geographic patterns. COVID-related hardships appear to be generally widespread across the country."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Harvard Medical School; Rutgers University . . .
Baum, Matthew A., 1965-; Lin, Jennifer; Lazer, David . . .
2020-12-17
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Perfect Storm: 'COVID-19 & Canada's Health Care Workforce Crisis'
From the Document: "For many years, the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) has been highlighting a nurse staffing crisis. After years of publishing ever-increasing rates of nurse overtime and absenteeism, the CFNU undertook two large-scale national studies, revealing the troubling status of the nursing workforce as we entered the first wave of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. One study, conducted with Dr. Nicholas Carleton at the University of Regina, found that nurses suffer mental disorder symptoms, including PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], depression, anxiety, and panic disorder, at rates much higher than the general population, and the same or higher than public safety personnel, such as correctional workers. Almost all nurses (93%) had symptoms of burnout and almost one in three had clinical levels of burnout requiring medical attention. The top source of extreme stress nurses reported was short staffing, with 83% indicating that the regular core health staff is insufficient to meet the needs of patients. Physical assault was the most frequently reported type of traumatic event (93%), and nearly half of nurses (46%) reported exposure to physical assault 11 or more times."
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
2020-12
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From Anti-Vaxxers to Antisemitism: Conspiracy Theory in the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Background: "As the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic forced countries into lockdown, several medical research laboratories began expedited clinical trials in a race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine that would limit the infection rate, death tolls and allow societies and economies to return to some normalcy. More than 150 coronavirus vaccines are in development across the world, including in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Germany, China, Brazil, Australia, Russia and Israel. For many governments and populations, the ability to vaccinate against COVID-19 would be considered a celebration for public health. Whilst clinical trials usually take between ten and fifteen years to bring a vaccine into public circulation, the global spread of COVID-19 has required vaccine manufacturers to speed up their clinical trial process, before the vaccines are sent to health regulatory agencies such as NICE [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] for approval. Whilst many remain hopeful for the development of a functioning vaccine, decisions to compress the clinical process by running trial phases simultaneously has generated anxiety about the vaccine's safety among segments of the population. Country-wide and regional lockdowns have exacerbated some individual's levels of anxiety, mental health issues and loneliness, in addition to an increasing amount of time spent on the internet and social media. For many with concerns about public health measures, Facebook groups promoting conspiracy theories provide easy answers to users desiring certainty."
Great Britain. HM Government
Arthurton, Lewis
2020-10
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Implications of State COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plans for People with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
From the Background: "In light of the global COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, governments across the world worked with pharmaceutical companies to develop coronavirus vaccine candidates at a record pace. Here in the United States, the breakneck speed of vaccine development has left state and federal health authorities racing against the clock to devise frameworks for how to distribute vaccines as efficiently as possible to hasten the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most federal and states' vaccine allocation frameworks have rightly prioritized frontline health care workers, residents of long-term care facilities and aging Americans as among the first to receive any vaccine approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). At the same time, these frameworks have largely overlooked an important segment of the population: people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), and the direct support professionals (DSPs) that are essential to their health and well-being. This oversight has the potential for damning effects on the safety and well-being of people with I/DD given the precarious situation in which they find themselves during this pandemic. On the one hand, community-based providers of disability services have done a remarkable job of keeping the people they support isolated from the coronavirus. However, mounting evidence finds that people with I/DD who contract the virus are significantly more likely to die from it."
American Network of Community Options and Resources
2020-12
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Roots of the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Document: "The question of the genomic origin and direct source of the virus that set off the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic is being addressed in parallel by both science and intelligence agencies, with each using its own tools to compile hypotheses and draw conclusions. The genomic origin of the index virus (the strain that infected Patient Zero) has been determined to be a Chinese bat virus that underwent extensive pre-adaptation to humans, including continual transmissibility, prior to infecting Patient Zero. The open question is how, where, and when such exceptional genomic pre-adaptation took place. On the surface, it appears that in this instance the probability of human intervention (of whatever kind) is higher than naturally occurring, spontaneous evolutionary adaptation, though it is difficult to comparatively quantify those two probabilities. Another critical issue concerns significant mismatches and errors that occurred at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and collateral Chinese institutions both in Wuhan and elsewhere in China during the decade preceding the onset of the pandemic, as well as thereafter. A question arising from that inquiry is whether those mismatches and errors were cases of negligence or deliberate obfuscation. The latter unfortunately appears to be predominant."
Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA Center)
Shoham, Dany
2020-12-14
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Issue Brief: Reports of Increases in Opioid- and Other Drug-Related Overdose and Other Concerns During COVID Pandemic
From the Document: "In addition to the ongoing challenges presented by the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] global pandemic, the nation's opioid epidemic has grown into a much more complicated and deadly drug overdose epidemic. The AMA [American Medical Association] is greatly concerned by an increasing number of reports from national, state and local media suggesting increases in opioid- and other drug-related mortality--particularly from illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs. The media reports below cite data from multiple and varied sources, including national, state and local public health agencies, law enforcement, emergency medical services, hospitals, treatment centers, research journals and others. More than 40 states have reported increases in opioid-related mortality as well as ongoing concerns for those with a mental illness or substance use disorder. This issue brief underscores the need to remove barriers to evidence-based treatment for those with a substance use disorder as well as for harm reduction services, including sterile needle and syringe services and naloxone."
American Medical Association
2021-04-15
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COVID-19: The CIDRAP Viewpoint: Report 7: Reassessing COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment in Anticipation of a US B.1.1.7 Surge: Stay the Course or Pivot?
This is the seventh report from the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) related to the coronavirus pandemic. From the Pressing Issues: "1. The more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] B.1.1.7 variant could lead to a significant surge in US cases in the next 4 to 12 weeks. If the B.1.1.7 surge overlaps with low vaccine coverage, it will cause immense strain on an already burdened healthcare system, threatening the level and quality of care available to all patients. 2. The immediate goal of public health agencies should be to reduce hospitalizations and deaths as well as maintain the ability of the healthcare system to provide adequate healthcare services and minimize preventable suffering and deaths. 3. Age is the strongest risk factors for severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. In the event of a case surge, the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths would occur in adults 65 years and older. 4. Compared to when the mRNA [messenger ribonucleic acid] vaccines were authorized, we now have more complete data regarding the B.1.1.7 variants, including how they led to surges in other countries and their currently rapidly increasing incidence in the US. 5. We have a short period to relieve the strain on healthcare systems and save lives by strategically targeting vaccination to those at highest risk of hospitalization and death."
Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy
Osterholm, Michael T.; Moore, Kristine A.; Ostrowsky, Julie . . .
2021-02-23
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Public Good, Bad Policies, and Tough Times: When Profit and Public Interests Collide
From the Document: "The recent Texas blizzard, which left millions without power and is responsible for at least 70 deaths [hyperlink], is just the latest in a long line of failures wrought by privatization of the public good - a system designed to maximize corporate profits while providing minimal benefits or protections to public health. As we see time and again, when calamities, such as infectious disease pandemics, natural disasters, and severe weather strike, privatized systems fail to respond adequately. This brief highlights just a couple of recent examples, describes how these failures undermine public trust and erode democracy, and ends by providing suggestions for how we can rethink policies to value people over profits instead of valuing profits over people."
Syracuse University. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
Brown, Austin McNeill; Monnat, Shannon M.
2021-02-23
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What Contributes to COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Black Communities, and How Can it Be Addressed?
From the Key Findings: "[1] A survey of a nationally representative sample of 207 Black Americans conducted in late 2020 found high levels of vaccine hesitancy and mistrust of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccines in the overall sample, as well as among health care workers in particular. [2] Those who expressed vaccine hesitancy also showed high levels of overall mistrust, concerns about potential harm and side effects, and lack of confidence in vaccine effectiveness and safety. [3] Participants reported higher trust in COVID-19 information from health care providers and public health officials than from elected local and federal officials. [4] Mistrust of the government's motives and transparency around COVID-19, as well as beliefs about racism in health care, appear to be contributing to mistrust of the vaccine. [5] Black Americans attribute their medical mistrust, in general and specific to COVID-19 vaccines, to systemic racism, including discrimination and mistreatment in health care, as well as by the government."
RAND Corporation
Bogart, Laura M.; Dong, Lu; Gandhi, Priya . . .
2021
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Wastewater Testing Shows That Pharmaceutical and Illicit Drug Use Are Higher in Places Where COVID-19 is More Prevalent
From the Document: "Wastewater testing is increasingly used worldwide to monitor trends in pharmaceutical and illicit drug use. Between April and July of 2020, wastewater samples from six sewer systems in Onondaga County, NY were tested to assess pharmaceutical and illicit drug use patterns during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The study found that samples from sewersheds showing greater pharmaceutical and illicit drug use also contained more SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] RNA [ribonucleic acid]- the genetic material found in the coronavirus. Testing identified higher levels of 26 pharmaceuticals, including medications for depression, epilepsy, allergies, and high blood pressure, as well as illicit drugs like opioids, cocaine, and amphetamines."
Syracuse University. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
Marshall, Kerrie; Palileo, Arik; Schiff, Eric A. . . .
2021-01-28
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COVID-19 Reduced Outpatient Visits by up to 70% in the US
From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has resulted in challenges for outpatient providers due to patients' fear of contagion, the need for physical distancing, and cancellation of elective procedures. Using data from the CDC's [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network 2010-2020, we show that the COVID-19 pandemic started to reduce outpatient visits during the week of March 15-21st , 2020. The effect on visits peaked during the week of April 5-11th, 2020, when the pandemic reduced total outpatient visits per provider by 70% relative to the same week in prior years. The impact on outpatient visits declined over time, and by the week of June 28-July 4, 2020, there was no longer any difference in total visits per provider relative to the same week in prior years. As we enter another period of rising COVID-19 cases in the fall of 2020, it is critical that outpatient providers avoid disruptions in visits given that lapses in health care receipt can have negative implications for patient's health."
Syracuse University. Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion; Syracuse University. Center for Aging and Policy Studies
Chatterji, Pinka; Li, Yue
2020-11-17
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Resilient: Keeping Your WITS--Workforce, Innovation, Technology, Security--About You
From the Introduction: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic will be remembered as a defining moment in the history of the federal government. More so than any crisis in a generation, it highlighted the extent to which the resilience of the United States relies on the resilience of its government. It also presented an opportunity for federal leaders to rethink and reset how their agencies deliver their missions. Returning to the pre-pandemic status quo can no longer be the goal. In this environment, the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council, MeriTalk and the Partnership for Public Service, with support from our corporate partners, saw an opportunity to help government chart a path forward. We commissioned a survey of 300 federal leaders that identified vital lessons learned over the course of the pandemic, and we held roundtable discussions to explore in depth four issues that are essential to government resiliency: workforce, innovation, technology and security, or WITS. This report encapsulates our findings, and it provides detailed recommendations for future operations, service delivery and policymaking that should become priorities in 2021 for leaders within the Biden administration and Congress. They must keep their WITS about them as they seek to transform government and improve its resilience. With nearly nine out of 10 respondents in our survey affirming that America's resilience depends on the resilience of its government, it's time to act decisively."
Partnership for Public Service; MeriTalk; American Council for Technology (ACT) - Industry Advisory Council (IAC)
2021-01
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U.S. Postal Service: Volume, Performance, and Financial Changes Since the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "USPS [U.S. Postal Service] plays a critical role in the nation's communications and commerce. However, USPS's financial viability is not on a sustainable path and has been on GAO's [Government Accountability Office] High Risk List since 2009. The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has highlighted the role of USPS in the nation's economy as well as USPS's financial difficulties. Responding to these concerns, the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act, as amended in late 2020, provided USPS up to $10 billion in additional funding. The CARES Act included a provision for GAO to report on its monitoring and oversight efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This report examines changes in USPS's (1) mail volume, (2) on-time performance, and (3) revenue and expenses from January through December 2020. GAO analyzed USPS mail volume, on-time performance, revenue, and expense data by month for 2020, and compared these data to similar data for 2019. GAO also reviewed its prior work, including its May 2020 report. That report had three matters for congressional consideration on: (1) determining the level of postal services, (2) the extent to which those services should be financially self-sustaining, and (3) the appropriate institutional structure of USPS. GAO also reviewed reports by USPS and the USPS Inspector General. Finally, GAO interviewed USPS officials, two package delivery companies that compete with USPS, and representatives from four mailing associations whose members send the types of mail with the highest volumes in 2020."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-04
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Towards Agenda 2030 in the Euro-Mediterranean: Mitigating the Impact of Covid-19
From the Introduction: "In September 2019, world leaders called for a Decade of Action ahead of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target date of 2030. The unprecedented crisis caused by the advent of Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in early 2020 has severely disrupted plans - on global, regional and national levels - to mobilise financing, enhance implementation and strengthen institutions to achieve the goals by the end of this decade. [...] This publication will explore how the Euro-Mediterranean region is progressing with the SDG agenda, paying particular attention to SDG 17 (which relates to partnerships) and SDG 4 (which relates to education). It will examine the impact of the Covid-19 crisis, outline examples of actions aimed at mitigating the immediate effects and long-term consequences of the pandemic, and set out recommendations for sustained and enhanced cooperation on implementing SDG 17 and SDG 4 in the Euro-Mediterranean."
Friends of Europe; Anna Lindh Foundation
Fitzgerald, Mary
2021-03
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Structured to Fail: Lessons from the Trump Administration's Faulty Pandemic Planning and Response
From the Introduction: "The spread of a virulent pathogen poses challenges to governance even under the best circumstances. But society stands the best chance of minimizing illness and death, just as it does in addressing myriad social problems, if it is well-organized to take on those challenges. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration's planning for and response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic provide a stark reminder that poorly designed government can be a matter of life and death. The Administration's public recognition or acknowledgment of the severity of the crisis was, to put it mildly, slow to develop. President Trump himself was well aware of the health threats posed by COVID-19 at the very early stage of the pandemic, but nonetheless downplayed those threats in public comments. Kenneth Barnard, a retired Rear Admiral, a physician, and a top security and health advisor for both Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, put it simply as the virus's toll in the United States increased: 'Delays in response cost lives. When you lose time with an epidemic, it really matters.' But the bungled initial response (or lack of response) was made worse by the Administration's confused and confusing reallocation and abdication of authority to perform or supervise tasks essential to reducing the virus's ravages. That reordering disabled an important mechanism available to the federal government to respond to public health threats--its ability to coordinate the efforts of public and private actions to effectively combat the crisis."
George Washington University. Law School
Camacho, Alejandro E.; Glicksman, Robert L.
2021
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #38: Public Perceptions of Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Document: "One of President Joe Biden's top pandemic-related policy priorities has been to get children back into schools. The president and his advisors have cited multiple reasons for the urgency of doing so, ranging from nutrition to mental health to the quality of K-12 [kindergarten through twelfth grade] learning during the pandemic. Since March of 2020, American school children have faced a variety of learning environments, varying by time and place, and ranging from all-virtual school, to hybrids of part-virtual and part-in-person school, to all-in-person school. Schools have reopened, only to close again in response to local outbreaks. As with other aspects of the pandemic, community response has often been vocal and polarized. Some parents have pressured local school boards to open their neighborhood schools to in-person learning; others have applied pressure for the opposite: all virtual schooling until local covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] transmission is brought down to manageable and safe levels. In our December 2020 survey wave, we included a series of questions aimed at assessing the state of opinion regarding these topics."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Baum, Matthew A., 1965-; Perlis, Roy H.; Green, Jon . . .
2021-02-05
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #36: Evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Strategies
From the Document: "This report outlines the current state of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine hesitancy (defined as preferring to delay vaccination) and resistance (defined as not wanting to take the vaccine at any point), as well as the results from two experiments designed to test strategies for increasing Americans' willingness to take the vaccine when it's available to them. We evaluate the results of two experiments testing different communication strategies to increase people's willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Key findings are that a variety of 'messages' are effective for reducing vaccine hesitancy and resistance, while 'messengers' are less effective and - in the case of partisan messengers - have the potential to 'increase' resistance among political out-groups. The most effective strategies evoked scientists and people's own doctors as endorsers of vaccination. We found, also, that messages evoking harm reduction and 'people you know' were more effective in counties where the virus is spreading more quickly."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Green, Jon; Lazer, David; Ognyanova, Katherine . . .
2021-01-25
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #35: Public Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccines
From the Executive Summary: "We present a variety of descriptive results on attitudes and beliefs regarding COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccines. We find a notable consensus across population subgroups regarding order of prioritization for receiving vaccines, which roughly aligns with current policies. We additionally find that while there are generally positive attitudes and beliefs regarding vaccines, there are also some negative attitudes and misbeliefs that are especially common within certain demographics (political independents and, to a lesser extent, Republicans; Black respondents; and individuals ages 25-44). The reported results are based on data collected from 24,682 people between December 16, 2020 and January 10, 2021. For these descriptive analyses, we apply survey weights using national benchmarks for race, gender, age, education, Census region, and urbanicity."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Green, Jon; Lazer, David; Ognyanova, Katherine . . .
2021-01-25
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #39: Public Attitudes Towards the Storming of the Capitol Building
From the Document: "This was the latest in a series of surveys we have been conducting since April 2020, examining attitudes and behaviors regarding COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in the United States. [...] The 2020 election produced two distinct perceived realities for the United States public. The first perceived reality holds that the election was conducted fairly, and that Joe Biden won. Individuals who hold this vision of reality feel their votes were counted accurately, and that the events of January 6th [hyperlink] were repugnant. This is also the version of reality for 60-70% of the US population. This reality is documented by court cases, our government officials (Republican and Democratic) in charge of administering the election, and the credible news media. The second vision of reality holds that the election was essentially corrupt--driven, in particular, by illegal mail-in ballots, noncitizen voting, and voting machine fraud. In this perceived reality, Biden is a usurper to the presidency. Further, the people who stormed the Capitol had a point, although the worst actions were taken by individuals affiliated with Antifa activists masquerading as Trump supporters. This is the expressed reality of former President Trump, certain Republican leaders, a subset of conservative media, and certain corners of the social media ecosystem. This is also the reality for 25-30% of the US population, and roughly half of Republicans. These two perceived realities are not created equal. The facts, as presented by the fact sorting institutions of the government and media, unambiguously support the first."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Lazer, David; Baum, Matthew A., 1965-; Ognyanova, Katherine . . .
2021-02-15
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #31: Update on the Trajectory of Health-Related Behaviors
From the Document: "Since April 2020, the COVID [coronavirus disease] States Project has been surveying respondents regarding social distancing behaviors and adherence to health recommendations more generally. Our November report [hyperlink], looking at the data from April to November, with a partial exception of mask wearing, found a steady relaxation of these behaviors over time. In this report, we update our November results, finding that this trend has partially reversed, perhaps due to the surge of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases in the last two months. Mask wearing reached its all-time high in our December/January survey, and social distancing behaviors have substantially increased since October (though still far from April levels)."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Lazer, David; Quintana, Alexi; Perlis, Roy H. . . .
2021-01-15
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #37: Gun Purchases During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Document: "Gun purchases in the United States have increased dramatically since the start of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Based on FBI data, the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported 21 million background checks for firearms sales [hyperlink] in 2020, up from 13.2 million the previous year and surpassing the previous record of 15.7 million in 2016. The biggest spikes occurred in March and June, as shown in Figure 1. While March is typically a month of high gun buying [hyperlink], this year saw a much sharper surge. June's spike in gun purchases is even more abnormal compared to previous years when gun purchases are typically close to their low point."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Simonson, Matthew; Lazer, David; Perlis, Roy H. . . .
2021-02-05
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #32: Update on Public Support for Measures Aimed at Curbing COVID-19
From the Summary: "In report 25, published in November, we evaluated public support for taking more aggressive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. The key finding is that there is broad support for taking more steps to limit the spread of the disease. In a just completed survey, we repeated these questions, finding that opinions are virtually unchanged since November: large majorities across the 7 issue areas support taking more aggressive steps. The measure with the least support, which would be the most drastic step - requiring most businesses other than grocery stores and pharmacies to close - has exactly the same level of support we observed in November: 60%. The only step that has seen statistically significant erosion in support is restricting international travel, which has edged downward from November, from 88% to a still quite high 84%. Support across the 50 states plus DC also is quite high. In 43 states plus DC, majorities support all 7 measures; in 4 states majorities support 6 measures, and in three (Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming), majorities support 5 of 7 measures (the two exceptions being requiring most businesses to close and prohibiting K-12 [kindergarten through twelfth grade] schools from teaching in person)."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Lazer, David; Quintana, Alexi; Baum, Matthew A., 1965- . . .
2021-01-15
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #34: Update on Holiday Gatherings in December 2020
From the Document: "Public health officials have expressed concern that multi-household holiday gatherings might have driven a January surge of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases. As noted in report 31 [hyperlink], social distancing behaviors have generally been improving since late October, including in our most recent wave conducted over the holidays. However, the scope of our data collection regarding social distancing, which focused on proximity to others in the 24 hours preceding survey response, might have missed important spikes in proximity around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. Therefore, here we evaluate the responses from a survey conducted between December 16th and January 10th, to a separate question asking whether people had gathered for the holidays in November and December."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Lazer, David; Quintana, Alexi; Baum, Matthew A., 1965- . . .
2021-01-25
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #33: Update on COVID-19 Test Turnaround Times Across the Country
From the Key Takeaways: "1) Average wait times for COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] test results continue to fall steadily (from 3.9 days in March to 2.2 days in December). 2) Racial disparities still exist in testing times: in December, Hispanic and Black respondents waited 0.7 and 0.4 days longer than white respondents, respectively. 3) In December, the average respondent waited 2.4 days between seeking a test and obtaining a test. They waited another 2.2 days to receive test results. 4) Testing is still too slow to support effective contact tracing."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Rutgers University; Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) . . .
Chwe, Hanyu; Quintana, Alexi; Lazer, David . . .
2021-01-15
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Impacts of Health Crises on Women & Girls: How Historical Evidence Can Inform Assessment and Recovery Through a Gender Lens
From the Introduction: "'This paper presents a conceptual framework on the effects of health crises on women and girls with an eye toward understanding the growing evidence base for the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic.' When health crises like COVID-19 emerge, the simultaneous shocks to economic, social, and health systems can have different implications for women and girls. Research on the impacts of past regional and global crises sheds light on how women's and girls' experiences and outcomes have differed from those of men and boys--both immediately following the onset of a crisis and as time progresses--as a result of entrenched gender inequalities and discrimination. The framework draws upon the historical evidence, including from SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome], Ebola, Zika, and dengue fever outbreaks, as well as existing frameworks for examining indirect effects of health crises. It is meant to serve as a tool to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic may be adversely affecting the wellbeing and opportunities of women and girls, in order to identify data gaps and shape analyses, inform ongoing pandemic response efforts, and identify important points of intervention for recovery efforts and future resilience."
Center for Global Development
O'Donnell, Megan; Buvinić, Mayra; Krubiner, Carleigh B. . . .
2021-04
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COIVD-19 and Private Health Insurance Coverage: Frequently Asked Questions [Updated April 9, 2021]
From the Introduction: "The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues in 2021. As private health insurance is the predominant source of health coverage in the United States, there is considerable congressional interest in understanding private health insurance coverage of health benefits related to COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. This report addresses frequently asked questions about covered benefits and consumer cost sharing related to COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination. It explains relevant legislation enacted in 2020, references existing federal requirements, discusses applicable administrative guidance, and notes state and private-sector actions. It begins with background information on types and regulation of private health insurance plans."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Forsberg, Vanessa C.
2021-04-09
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Optimal Vaccine Subsidies for Endemic and Epidemic Diseases
From the Abstract: "Vaccines exert a positive externality, reducing spread of disease from the consumer to others, providing a rationale for subsidies. We study how optimal subsidies vary with disease characteristics by integrating a standard epidemiological model into a vaccine market with rational economic agents. In the steady-state equilibrium for an endemic disease, across market structures ranging from competition to monopoly, the marginal externality and optimal subsidy are non-monotonic in disease infectiousness, peaking for diseases that spread quickly but not so quickly as to drive all consumers to become vaccinated. Motivated by the Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, we adapt the analysis to study a vaccine campaign introduced at a point in time against an emerging epidemic. While the non-monotonic pattern of the optimal subsidy persists, new findings emerge. Universal vaccination with a perfectly effective vaccine becomes a viable firm strategy: the marginal consumer is still willing to pay since those infected before vaccine rollout remain a source of transmission. We derive a simple condition under which vaccination exhibits increasing social returns, providing an argument for concentrating a capacity-constrained campaign in few regions. We discuss a variety of extensions and calibrations of the results to vaccines and other mitigation measures targeting existing diseases."
Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics
Goodkin-Gold, Matthew; Kremer, Michael, 1964-; Snyder, Christopher (Christopher Mark) . . .
2020-11
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Emergency Powers, Real and Imagined: How President Trump Used and Failed to Use Presidential Authority in the COVID-19 Crisis
From the Introduction: "President Trump is not shy when it comes to the use of emergency powers. He had declared seven national emergencies before a real one--the COVID-19 pandemic--actually happened. [...] When it comes to deploying emergency powers that would assist in disease mitigation, however, President Trump has been restrained to a fault. His administration declared a public health emergency in late January, but it was slow to exercise the powers this declaration could have unlocked. As the stock markets began to suffer, the president downplayed the crisis and delayed declaring a national emergency or a Stafford Act emergency for several weeks. Eventually he issued both declarations, followed by a series of executive orders purporting to invoke the Defense Production Act. Once again, however, his administration's actual use of these authorities has been incongruously modest."
McGeorge School of Law; Georgetown University. Law Center; Syracuse University. Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism
Goitein, Elizabeth
2020
