Protective policies for all? An analysis of Covid‐19 deaths and protective policies among low‐, medium‐, and high‐vulnerability groups

Protective policies have been unequally and inconsistently applied in the United States throughout the Covid‐19 pandemic. This study investigates the relationship between state and local policies and Covid‐19 deaths, combining three datasets: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index; local laws and regulations from the COVID Analysis and Mapping of Policies (AMP) database; and Covid‐19 deaths by county reported by The New York Times. It examines, using propensity score matching, local policies and regulations as treatments during the crisis, and assesses how, inter alia, face mask requirements, gathering restrictions, stay‐at‐home orders, and social distancing mandates enacted at the county level altered Covid‐19 deaths. The results indicate that the first three variables reduced average Covid‐19 deaths in high‐vulnerability communities. Despite clear gaps in federal policy guidance and coordinated policies, some efforts led by local and state governments promoted safer behaviour and lessened the impact of Covid‐19 in communities, especially those with higher social vulnerability rates.