Department of Economics2024-11-0920221201-971210.1016/j.ijid.2021.12.3332-s2.0-85122984556https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14288/2906Objective: this study considered the role of institutional, cultural and economic factors in the effectivemess of lockdown measures during the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier studies focusing on cross-sectional data found an association between low case numbers and a higher level of cultural tightness. Meanwhile, institutional strength and income levels revealed a puzzling negative relationship with the number of cases and deaths. Methods: data available at the end of September 2021 were used to analyse the dynamic impact of these factors on the effectiveness of lockdowns. The cross-sectional dimension of country-level data was combined with the time-series dimension of pandemic-related measures, using econometric techniques dealing with panel data. Findings: greater stringency of lockdown measures was associated with fewer cases. Institutional strength enhanced this negative relationship. Countries with well-defined and established laws performed better for a given set of lockdown measures compared with countries with weaker institutional structures. Cultural tightness reduced the effectiveness of lockdowns, in contrast to previous findings at cross-sectional level. Conclusion: institutional strength plays a greater role than cultural and economic factors in enhancing the performance of lockdowns. These results underline the importance of strengthening institutions for pandemic control.pdfInfectious diseasesJournal Articlehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.12.333789660900021Q1NOIR03406