The effect of cultural origin on COVID-19 infection rates. Issue 12 (12th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bedendo, Mascia; Febo, Valentina; Siming, Linus
• Is Part Of: Applied economics letters. Volume 29:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 1116
• Page End: 1120
• Publication Date: 2022-07-12
• Subjects: Cultural origin -- language -- civic capital -- COVID-19; Z1 -- D91; Economics -- Periodicals; Economics, Mathematical -- Periodicals; 330
• DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2021.1910129
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-4851

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We examine whether a community's cultural origin affects COVID-19 infection rates by exploiting cultural differences in the bilingual province of South Tyrol in Northern Italy. We find lower infection rates in municipalities with a relatively higher proportion of German speakers, even after controlling for widely used measures of social and civic capital. Our findings can be explained by a more future-oriented behaviour of German speakers in comparison with Italian speakers.