Open AccessExploring Whether Wireless Emergency Alerts Can Help Impede the Spread of Covid-19
Author(s) -
Hamilton Bean,
Nels Grevstad,
Alex Koutsoukos,
Abigail Meyer
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international crisis and risk communication conference
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2576-9111
DOI - 10.30658/icrcc.2021.08
Subject(s) - covid-19 , wireless , sample (material) , state of emergency , emergency response , computer science , medical emergency , geography , computer security , medicine , telecommunications , political science , virology , pathology , outbreak , chemistry , disease , chromatography , politics , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law
This study offers a preliminary exploration of whether state-level (N=6) and local-level (N=53) Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) messages might contribute to impeding the spread of Covid-19 in the United States. The study compares changes in reported rates of infections and deaths between states and localities that issued WEA messages in March and April of 2020 with states that did not. Small sample sizes and differences in the rates of Covid-19 spread prohibit robust statistical analysis and detection of clear effect sizes, but estimated effects are generally in the right direction.