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Anticipation of COVID-19 Vaccines Reduces Social Distancing

Andersson, Ola ; Campos-Mercade, Pol ; Meier, Armando N. and Wengström, Erik LU (2020) In Working Papers
Abstract
We show that the anticipation of COVID-19 vaccines reduces voluntary social distancing. In a large-scale preregistered survey experiment with a representative sample, we study whether providing information about the safety, effectiveness, and availability of COVID-19 vaccines affects compliance with public health guidelines. We find that vaccine information reduces peoples' voluntary social distancing, adherence to hygiene guidelines, and their willingness to stay at home. Vaccine information induces people to believe in a swifter return to normal life and puts their vigilance at ease. The results indicate an important behavioral drawback of the successful vaccine development: An increased focus on vaccines can lead to bad health behaviors... (More)
We show that the anticipation of COVID-19 vaccines reduces voluntary social distancing. In a large-scale preregistered survey experiment with a representative sample, we study whether providing information about the safety, effectiveness, and availability of COVID-19 vaccines affects compliance with public health guidelines. We find that vaccine information reduces peoples' voluntary social distancing, adherence to hygiene guidelines, and their willingness to stay at home. Vaccine information induces people to believe in a swifter return to normal life and puts their vigilance at ease. The results indicate an important behavioral drawback of the successful vaccine development: An increased focus on vaccines can lead to bad health behaviors and accelerate the spread of the virus. The results imply that, as vaccinations start and the end of the pandemic feels closer, existing policies aimed at increasing social distancing will be less effective and stricter policies might be required. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Economic epidemiology, Social distancing, Vaccination, Information, D83, D91, I12, I18
in
Working Papers
issue
2020:29
pages
22 pages
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
31f4fc3d-7853-4ec8-bbb8-c6230084b196
alternative location
https://swopec.hhs.se/lunewp/abs/lunewp2020_029.htm
date added to LUP
2021-01-25 15:32:22
date last changed
2021-01-25 15:32:22
@misc{31f4fc3d-7853-4ec8-bbb8-c6230084b196,
  abstract     = {{We show that the anticipation of COVID-19 vaccines reduces voluntary social distancing. In a large-scale preregistered survey experiment with a representative sample, we study whether providing information about the safety, effectiveness, and availability of COVID-19 vaccines affects compliance with public health guidelines. We find that vaccine information reduces peoples' voluntary social distancing, adherence to hygiene guidelines, and their willingness to stay at home. Vaccine information induces people to believe in a swifter return to normal life and puts their vigilance at ease. The results indicate an important behavioral drawback of the successful vaccine development: An increased focus on vaccines can lead to bad health behaviors and accelerate the spread of the virus. The results imply that, as vaccinations start and the end of the pandemic feels closer, existing policies aimed at increasing social distancing will be less effective and stricter policies might be required.}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Ola and Campos-Mercade, Pol and Meier, Armando N. and Wengström, Erik}},
  keywords     = {{Economic epidemiology; Social distancing; Vaccination; Information; D83; D91; I12; I18}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Working Paper}},
  number       = {{2020:29}},
  series       = {{Working Papers}},
  title        = {{Anticipation of COVID-19 Vaccines Reduces Social Distancing}},
  url          = {{https://swopec.hhs.se/lunewp/abs/lunewp2020_029.htm}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}