In the early global fight against COVID-19, quick mask mandates were most effective

Before the development of an effective vaccine, policymakers had to use other approaches such as mask mandates and stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of COVID-19. In new research covering 164 countries, Brian An, Simon Porcher, Shui-Yan Tang, and Eunji Emily Kim examine the effectiveness of these measures aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, finding that mask mandates, if adopted early, were the most effective. They also find that countries with less individualistic cultures, and those with better healthcare capacity prior to the pandemic, were more likely to adopt early mask mandates.