Stay home and make good decisions
The Coronavirus epidemic (Covid-19) has generated a worldwide alarm that resulted in governments resorting to use of restrictive measures. However, isolation is bringing negative effects to mental health that are also necessary to attend.
Opinion Piece: The Coronavirus epidemic (Covid-19) has generated a worldwide alarm that resulted in governments resorting to use of restrictive measures. However, isolation is bringing negative effects to mental health that are also necessary to attend.
The Coronavirus epidemic (Covid-19) has generated a worldwide alarm that resulted in governments resorting to use of restrictive measures based on principles of isolation and quarantine. This approach, while common and effective in controlling outbreaks of highly contagious infectious diseases, evokes feelings of being forced to comply with a system of archaic and authoritative institutions that regulate your life. However, is it a right way to move forward?
An effective response to COVID-19 or another pandemic requires contributions from across the sciences
A recent carried out in Italy found that the interventions adopted by the government are perceived as timely and appropriate by the population
- Follow government-mandated health measures.
- Strongly believe in the message sent by the government and stick to it.
- Leave home only for reasons considered “essential”.
- Experience high levels of anxiety, especially vulnerable groups.
These types of measures used to be very effective “back in the day” when the countries were governed by autocracy and inhabitants doctrinally complied to these public health measures. However, in a modern liberal society, these measures seem to be to extreme. In addition, it is natural to believe that these measures violate freedoms such as the right of expression, mobility and in many developing countries the right to work (since unofficial employment is common in these countries, or for the type of jobs where workers get paid on daily bases).
Recent cases of epidemics have implemented localized quarantine. The SARS in 2003 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) generated shock as it was an infectious disease “of international concern” in which only those infected were isolated. Subsequently, due to the appearance of influenza A (H1N1) in 2009 in Japan, quarantines were adopted for infected people at airports; and in the Ebola outbreak between 2014 and 2016 in West Africa (and in some exceptions in Europe) only those infected were isolated for 21 days. But so far, there had been no pandemic (up to nowadays) that forced entire nations to remain in their homes to reduce physical contact and decrease the rate of contagion.
Besides, the empirical evidence does not support the effectiveness of a large-scale quarantine when the transmission of the disease from person to person is low or null (Barbera et al)1. However, this new Covid -19 outbreak has generated shocks due to its high contagion rate and its rise in the mortality rate evidenced in Italy during the first days of March 2019.
…getting people to stay in isolation is not the only challenge. It is also necessary to attend the negative effects of isolation…and avoid collective depressions
Discussion on the use of restrictive isolation measures for the control of highly contagious diseases is now necessary for any liberal democratic society. Modern citizens believe that they have the right not to comply with these restrictions; thus, it is necessary to investigate the behavior, attitudes and perceptions of the population in the face of these restrictions. Only this way, governments will be able to design effective public policies and interventions that improve citizen coordination and reduce over-provisioning, scarcity and the panic that has made visible the low installed capacity of health services, even in European countries.
A recent study carried out between March 18 and 20, 2020 in Italy found that the interventions adopted by the government are perceived as timely and appropriate by the population; among them social distancing, not participating in social gathering and the closure of non-essential trade. Some of the findings in this study indicate that the population:
- Follow government-mandated health measures.
- Strongly believe in the message sent by the government and stick to it.
- Leave home only for reasons considered “essential”.
- Experience high levels of anxiety, especially vulnerable groups.
…public policy should implement complementary interventions to influence behavior change.
But getting people to stay in isolation is not the only challenge. It is also necessary to attend to the negative effects that this isolation brings to mental health; that is, the government, in addition to making its citizens staying at home, must indicate how to have a good time inside while staying there and avoid collective depressions. And we are not only talking about the anxiety of breaking a routine, enjoying outdoor activities and other entertainments; it is the anxiety of a large part of the population that depends on daily income2. Keep in mind that teleworking is a privilege that few of us can access.
Finally, it is necessary to indicate that public policy should implement complementary interventions to influence behavior change. If the restrictions are not met, social psychology could offer instruments to analyze people’s behavior and achieve effective interventions. Thus, increasing voluntary compliance with isolation restrictions during crises such as the current one.
Uri Gneezy is Renown scholar in individual decision-making and behavioral economics fields the Epstein/Atkinson Endowed Chair in Behavioral Economics and Professor of Economics & Strategy at the Rady School of Management, UC San Diego
Uri Gneezy is Renown scholar in individual decision-making and behavioral economics fields the Epstein/Atkinson Endowed Chair in Behavioral Economics and Professor of Economics & Strategy at the Rady School of Management, UC San Diego The Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, commonly referred to as Barcelona GSE, is an independent institution of research and graduate education located in Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. Banco Sabadell is the fourth-largest banking group funded by private Spanish capital. It includes several banks, brands, subsidiary and holding companies spanning the whole range of financial business.
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