Abstract
In the absence of effective vaccination, mass testing and quarantining of positive
cases and their contacts could help to mitigate pandemics and allow economies to stay
open. We investigate the effects of repeated mass testing on the COVID-19 pandemic
caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, using data from the first ever nationwide rapid
antigen testing implemented in Slovakia in autumn 2020. After the first round of
testing, only districts above an ex ante unknown threshold of test positivity were retested. Comparing districts above and below the threshold, we provide evidence that
repeated mass antigen testing can temporarily reduce the number of new infections.
Our results suggest that mass testing coupled with the quarantining of positive cases
and their contacts could be an effective tool in mitigating pandemics. For lasting
effects, re-testing at regular intervals would likely be necessary.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1105-1140 |
| Number of pages | 44 |
| Journal | Journal of Population Economics |
| Volume | 34 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2021 |
Fields of science
- 303010 Health economics
- 502 Economics
- 502002 Labour economics
- 502009 Corporate finance
- 502021 Microeconomics
- 502042 Environmental economics
- 502047 Economic theory
- 504014 Gender studies
- 507016 Regional economy
- 405002 Agricultural economics
- 502001 Labour market policy
- 502003 Foreign trade
- 502010 Public finance
- 502012 Industrial management
- 502013 Industrial economics
- 502018 Macroeconomics
- 502020 Market research
- 502025 Econometrics
- 502027 Political economy
- 502039 Structural policy
- 502046 Economic policy
- 506004 European integration
JKU Focus areas
- Sustainable Development: Responsible Technologies and Management
