What Do Suicides, Fatal Heart Attacks and COVID-19 Deaths Have in Common?

11 Pages Posted: 3 Aug 2020 Last revised: 8 Sep 2020

See all articles by Keith Gandal

Keith Gandal

City College of New York, Department of English

Neil Gandal

Berglas School of Economics, Tel Aviv University; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Date Written: July 25, 2020

Abstract

In this paper, we examine U.S. COVID-19 deaths by day of the week. Using data from the two large US. States (Florida and Texas) that report deaths by “day of actual death,” and controlling for time trends, we show that deaths during the Monday to Friday period (the week) are 7-8 percent higher than the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in these states.

The weekend effect does not obtain in New York City, which also reports deaths by “day of actual death.” We provide some preliminary thoughts as to why this “weekend” effect obtains for COVID-19 deaths in Florida and Texas, but not in New York City.

Note: Funding: None to declare

Declaration of Interest: None to declare

Keywords: COVID-19, Coronavirus, COVID-19 Deaths, New York City Deaths, Florida Deaths, Texas Deaths

JEL Classification: I1

Suggested Citation

Gandal, Keith and Gandal, Neil, What Do Suicides, Fatal Heart Attacks and COVID-19 Deaths Have in Common? (July 25, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3654952 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3654952

Keith Gandal

City College of New York, Department of English ( email )

New York, NY
United States

Neil Gandal (Contact Author)

Berglas School of Economics, Tel Aviv University ( email )

Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv 69978
Israel
+972 3 640 9907 (Phone)
+972 3 640 9908 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.neilgandal.com/

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

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