A comprehensive evaluation of COVID-19 policies and outcomes in 50 countries and territories

Hsiao Hui Tsou; Shu Chen Kuo; Yu Hsuan Lin; Chao A. Hsiung; Hung Yi Chiou; Wei J. Chen; Shiow Ing Wu; Huey Kang Sytwu; Pau Chung Chen; Meng Hsuan Wu; Ya Ting Hsu; Hsiao Yu Wu; Fang Jing Lee; Shu Man Shih; Ding Ping Liu; Shan Chwen Chang

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-12853-7

A comprehensive evaluation of COVID-19 policies and outcomes in 50 countries and territories

Hsiao Hui Tsou, Shu Chen Kuo, Yu Hsuan Lin, Chao A. Hsiung, Hung Yi Chiou, Wei J. Chen, Shiow Ing Wu, Huey Kang Sytwu, Pau Chung Chen, Meng Hsuan Wu, Ya Ting Hsu, Hsiao Yu Wu, Fang Jing Lee, Shu Man Shih, Ding Ping Liu, Shan Chwen Chang

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13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic struck the world unguarded, some places outperformed others in COVID-19 containment. This longitudinal study considered a comparative evaluation of COVID-19 containment across 50 distinctly governed regions between March 2020 and November 2021. Our analysis distinguishes between a pre-vaccine phase (March–November 2020) and a vaccinating phase (December 2020–November 2021). In the first phase, we develop an indicator, termed lockdown efficiency (LE), to estimate the efficacy of measures against monthly case numbers. Nine other indicators were considered, including vaccine-related indicators in the second phase. Linear mixed models are used to explore the relationship between each government policy & hygiene education (GP&HE) indicator and each vital health & socioeconomic (VH&SE) measure. Our ranking shows that surveyed countries in Oceania and Asian outperformed countries in other regions for pandemic containment prior to vaccine development. Their success appears to be associated with non-pharmaceutical interventions, acting early, and adjusting policies as needed. After vaccines have been distributed, maintaining non-pharmacological intervention is the best way to achieve protection from variant viral strains, breakthrough infections, waning vaccine efficacy, and vaccine hesitancy limiting of herd immunity. The findings of the study provide insights into the effectiveness of emerging infectious disease containment policies worldwide.

Original language	English
Article number	8802
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	12
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12853-7
Publication status	Published - Dec 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/s41598-022-12853-7

Cite this

Tsou, H. H., Kuo, S. C., Lin, Y. H., Hsiung, C. A., Chiou, H. Y., Chen, W. J., Wu, S. I., Sytwu, H. K., Chen, P. C., Wu, M. H., Hsu, Y. T., Wu, H. Y., Lee, F. J., Shih, S. M., Liu, D. P., & Chang, S. C. (2022). A comprehensive evaluation of COVID-19 policies and outcomes in 50 countries and territories. Scientific Reports, 12(1), Article 8802. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12853-7

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title = "A comprehensive evaluation of COVID-19 policies and outcomes in 50 countries and territories",

abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic struck the world unguarded, some places outperformed others in COVID-19 containment. This longitudinal study considered a comparative evaluation of COVID-19 containment across 50 distinctly governed regions between March 2020 and November 2021. Our analysis distinguishes between a pre-vaccine phase (March–November 2020) and a vaccinating phase (December 2020–November 2021). In the first phase, we develop an indicator, termed lockdown efficiency (LE), to estimate the efficacy of measures against monthly case numbers. Nine other indicators were considered, including vaccine-related indicators in the second phase. Linear mixed models are used to explore the relationship between each government policy & hygiene education (GP&HE) indicator and each vital health & socioeconomic (VH&SE) measure. Our ranking shows that surveyed countries in Oceania and Asian outperformed countries in other regions for pandemic containment prior to vaccine development. Their success appears to be associated with non-pharmaceutical interventions, acting early, and adjusting policies as needed. After vaccines have been distributed, maintaining non-pharmacological intervention is the best way to achieve protection from variant viral strains, breakthrough infections, waning vaccine efficacy, and vaccine hesitancy limiting of herd immunity. The findings of the study provide insights into the effectiveness of emerging infectious disease containment policies worldwide.",

author = "Tsou, {Hsiao Hui} and Kuo, {Shu Chen} and Lin, {Yu Hsuan} and Hsiung, {Chao A.} and Chiou, {Hung Yi} and Chen, {Wei J.} and Wu, {Shiow Ing} and Sytwu, {Huey Kang} and Chen, {Pau Chung} and Wu, {Meng Hsuan} and Hsu, {Ya Ting} and Wu, {Hsiao Yu} and Lee, {Fang Jing} and Shih, {Shu Man} and Liu, {Ding Ping} and Chang, {Shan Chwen}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by grants PH-109-PP-02, and PH-110-GP-02 from the National Health Research Institutes, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to medical research and improved healthcare in Taiwan. Funding Information: The authors thank Dr. Shih-Chung Chen of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan, Dr. Jih-Haw Chou and Dr. Jen-Hsiang Chuang of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, Taipei, Taiwan, and Dr. Kung-Yee Liang of the Institute of Population Health Sciences, the National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, for their insightful and constructive comments. The authors thank Dr. Shou-Hsia Cheng of the Institute of Health Policy and Management, the College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, for his insight and expertise on two-stage regression model. The authors thank Ms. Ting-Yun Chiu of the Institute of Population Health Sciences, the National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, for her help with data management. Their expertise greatly assisted in the success of this research. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s).",

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month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41598-022-12853-7",

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volume = "12",

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AU - Tsou, Hsiao Hui

AU - Kuo, Shu Chen

AU - Lin, Yu Hsuan

AU - Hsiung, Chao A.

AU - Chiou, Hung Yi

AU - Chen, Wei J.

AU - Wu, Shiow Ing

AU - Sytwu, Huey Kang

AU - Chen, Pau Chung

AU - Wu, Meng Hsuan

AU - Hsu, Ya Ting

AU - Wu, Hsiao Yu

AU - Lee, Fang Jing

AU - Shih, Shu Man

AU - Liu, Ding Ping

AU - Chang, Shan Chwen

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by grants PH-109-PP-02, and PH-110-GP-02 from the National Health Research Institutes, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to medical research and improved healthcare in Taiwan. Funding Information: The authors thank Dr. Shih-Chung Chen of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan, Dr. Jih-Haw Chou and Dr. Jen-Hsiang Chuang of the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, Taipei, Taiwan, and Dr. Kung-Yee Liang of the Institute of Population Health Sciences, the National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, for their insightful and constructive comments. The authors thank Dr. Shou-Hsia Cheng of the Institute of Health Policy and Management, the College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, for his insight and expertise on two-stage regression model. The authors thank Ms. Ting-Yun Chiu of the Institute of Population Health Sciences, the National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, for her help with data management. Their expertise greatly assisted in the success of this research. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).

PY - 2022/12

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N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic struck the world unguarded, some places outperformed others in COVID-19 containment. This longitudinal study considered a comparative evaluation of COVID-19 containment across 50 distinctly governed regions between March 2020 and November 2021. Our analysis distinguishes between a pre-vaccine phase (March–November 2020) and a vaccinating phase (December 2020–November 2021). In the first phase, we develop an indicator, termed lockdown efficiency (LE), to estimate the efficacy of measures against monthly case numbers. Nine other indicators were considered, including vaccine-related indicators in the second phase. Linear mixed models are used to explore the relationship between each government policy & hygiene education (GP&HE) indicator and each vital health & socioeconomic (VH&SE) measure. Our ranking shows that surveyed countries in Oceania and Asian outperformed countries in other regions for pandemic containment prior to vaccine development. Their success appears to be associated with non-pharmaceutical interventions, acting early, and adjusting policies as needed. After vaccines have been distributed, maintaining non-pharmacological intervention is the best way to achieve protection from variant viral strains, breakthrough infections, waning vaccine efficacy, and vaccine hesitancy limiting of herd immunity. The findings of the study provide insights into the effectiveness of emerging infectious disease containment policies worldwide.

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A comprehensive evaluation of COVID-19 policies and outcomes in 50 countries and territories

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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