ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the structural and behavioral dynamics in Turkey's policymaking to test the argument that policy style and political trust interact to determine Turkey's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the main focus of analysis is Turkey's response to the pandemic, this section also gives a frontal place to Turkish health system including recent health sector reforms. Turkey's response to the pandemic includes a combination of preemptive and restrictive measures. Turkey's administrative policy style and low trust in government account for why the country adopted a top-down centralized response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization's Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge also framed Turkey's response to the pandemic as a success, mentioning the importance of Turkey's vaccine development efforts as well as the provision of healthcare service to asylum seekers. Turkey inherited the legacy of the Ottoman state that had a social structure based on the conspicuous distinction between the rulers and the ruled. © 2022 selection and editorial matter, Julie A. Luft and M. Gail Jones.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the link between human mobility and the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-infected people in countries. STUDY DESIGN: Our data set covers 144 countries for which complete data are available. To analyze the link between human mobility and COVID-19-infected people, our study focused on the volume of air travel, the number of airports, and the Schengen system. METHODS: To analyze the variation in COVID-19-infected people in countries, we used negative binomial regression analysis. RESULTS: Our findings suggest a positive relationship between higher volume of airline passenger traffic carried in a country and higher numbers of patients with COVID-19. We further found that countries which have a higher number of airports are associated with higher number of COVID-19 cases. Schengen countries, countries which have higher population density, and higher percentage of elderly population are also found to be more likely to have more COVID-19 cases than other countries. CONCLUSIONS: The article brings a novel insight into the COVID-19 pandemic from a human mobility perspective. Future research should assess the impacts of the scale of sea/bus/car travel on the epidemic. The findings of this article are relevant for public health authorities, community and health service providers, as well as policy-makers.