Combating the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of the SARS Imprint

Abstract

We provide evidence of delayed attention and inaction in response to COVID-19 in countries that did not experience SARS in 2003. Using cross-country data, we find that individuals in countries that had SARS infections in 2003 searched more intensively for COVID-19-related information on Google in late January 2020, the time of the first known outbreak in Wuhan, China. Early attention to the novel virus, as measured by Google searches, is associated with deeper stock market drops in countries with SARS experience. In contrast, people in countries without SARS experience started to pay more attention much later, in March. Moreover, governments in these countries responded significantly more slowly in implementing social distancing policies to combat domestic COVID-19 outbreaks than governments in countries with SARS experience. Moreover, such early responses of individuals and governments in countries with SARS experience are prevalent within continent, even in non-Asian countries. Furthermore, people in countries with SARS experience are more compliant with social distancing rules. These timely attention and proactive responses of individuals and governments are more pronounced in countries that reported deaths caused by SARS, which left deeper imprints. Our findings suggest that the imprint of similar viruses’ experience is a fundamental mechanism underlying timely responses to COVID-19. This paper was accepted by Haoxiang Zhu, finance.

The determinants of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality across countries

“…The negative and significant coefficients of SARS indicate that countries with SARS experience have achieved better performances in combating COVID-19. This finding is consistent with Ru et al 54 , who find that countries with SARS experience have responded to the pandemic in a more timely and proactive way. Their findings are supported by Google search data and evidence from containment policies enforced by central governments.…”

Rethinking financial contagion: Information transmission mechanism during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Early interest in COVID-19 pandemic, as measured by Google searches, is associated with deeper stock market drops in countries affected previously by the SARS virus. Ru et al (2020) also suggest that the imprint of similar viruses’ experience is a fundamental factor underlying timely responses to COVID-19 across countries around the world. Szczygielski et al (2021a) examined the timing and quantified the impact of COVID-19 related uncertainty on returns and volatility for international regional stock market aggregates.…”

“… Ru et al (2020) presented evidence showing delayed attention and inaction in response to COVID-19 outbreak in countries, which did not experience SARS in 2003. Early interest in COVID-19 pandemic, as measured by Google searches, is associated with deeper stock market drops in countries affected previously by the SARS virus.…”

Epidemic control with endogenous treatment capability under popular discontent and social fatigue

“…They suggest that decisions to close community establishments, which are independently owned or managed, are affected by the decisions made by chain establishments, which are associated with national brands. Ru et al (2021) argue that the imprint of the experience with similar viruses is a fundamental mechanism underlying timely responses to Covid-19. Gupta, Starr, Farahani, and Asgari (2021) evaluate and categorize the papers related to pandemics/epidemics published in major operations management, operations research, and management science journals through the end of 2019.…”