The Stringency of Social (Physical) Distance Measures: Have Governments Failed Against Covid-19?

The problem caused by the new type of coronavirus, Covid-19, which has turned into a global pandemic, continues at full speed. Although social (physical) distance practices, which are accepted as the only valid measure until vaccination reserches are successful, reduce the rate of spread of the pandemic, it is thought that countries will not be able to continue their effectiveness due to the inability to determine a common strategy. The increase in economic costs caused by the pandemic and the fact that it does not disappear completely negatively affects the decisions of governments regarding social distance practices. This study examines the effect of the social (physical) distance policies of 13 selected countries, where the pandemic reached serious dimensions, on the number of cases with the Panel Quantile Regression Analysis. The countries in question were divided into two different groups as weak and strongly responsive countries according to the Stringency Index scores, and it was identified that the countries that reacted strongly in the first 10 weeks of the pandemic were more successful according to the Stringency Index Scores. Therefore, these days when the second wave of the pandemic is being discussed, it is seen as an important issue that all countries take a similar action towards social distance practices. In the face of the global pandemic, no government will be able to solve the problem with its initiative and all countries should determine a common strategy.

Sosyal (Fiziksel) Mesafe Önlemlerinin Sıkılığı: Covid-19’a Karşi Hükümetler Başarısız mı?

Küresel bir pandemiye dönüşen yeni tip koronavirüs Covid-19’un yarattığı problem tüm hızıyla devam etmektedir. Aşı çalışmaları başarıya ulaşıncaya kadar tek geçerli önlem olarak kabul edilen sosyal (fiziksel) mesafe uygulamaları salgının yayılma hızını düşürmekle birlikte, ülkelerin ortak bir strateji belirleyememesi nedeniyle etkinliğini sürdüremeyeceği düşünülmektedir. Salgının yarattığı ekonomik maliyetlerin yükselmesi ve salgının tamamen ortadan kalkmaması, hükümetlerin sosyal mesafe uygulamaları konusundaki aldığı kararları olumsuz etkilemektedir. Bu çalışma salgının ciddi boyutlara ulaştığı seçilmiş 13 ülkenin sosyal (fiziksel) mesafe politikalarının vaka sayıları üzerindeki etkisini Panel Kantil Regresyon analizi ile incelemektedir. Söz konusu ülkeler Sıkılık Endeks skorlarına göre zayıf ve güçlü tepki veren ülkeler olarak iki farklı gruba ayrılmış ve Sıkılık Endeks değerlerine göre salgının başladığı ilk 10 hafta içerisinde güçlü tepki veren ülkelerin daha başarılı olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Dolayısıyla salgının ikinci dalgasının tartışıldığı bu günlerde tüm ülkelerin sosyal mesafe uygulamaları konusunda benzer bir tutum alması önemli bir mesele olarak görülmektedir. Küresel salgın karşısında hiç bir hükümetin kendi insiyatifi ile sorunu çözemeyeceği ve tüm ülkelerin ortak bir strateji belirlemesi gerekmektedir.

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