Nordic Responses to Covid-19: Governance and Policy Measures in the Early Phases of the Pandemic

Ingrid Sperre Saunes; Karsten Vrangbæk; Haldor  Byrkjeflot; Signe Smith Jervelund; Hans Okkels Birk; Liina-Kaisa Tynkkynen; Ilmo Keskimäki; Sigurbjörg Sigurgeirsdóttir; Nils Janlöv; Joakim Ramsberg; Cristina Hernández-Quevedo; Sherry Merkur; Anna Sagan; Marina Karanikolos

doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.08.011

Nordic Responses to Covid-19: Governance and Policy Measures in the Early Phases of the Pandemic

Ingrid Sperre Saunes^*, Karsten Vrangbæk, Haldor Byrkjeflot, Signe Smith Jervelund, Hans Okkels Birk, Liina-Kaisa Tynkkynen, Ilmo Keskimäki, Sigurbjörg Sigurgeirsdóttir, Nils Janlöv, Joakim Ramsberg, Cristina Hernández-Quevedo, Sherry Merkur, Anna Sagan, Marina Karanikolos

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

This paper explores and compares health system responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, in the context of existing governance features. Content compiled in the Covid-19 Health System Response Monitor combined with other publicly available country information serve as the foundation for this analysis. The analysis mainly covers early response until August 2020, but includes some key policy and epidemiological developments up until December 2020.

Our findings suggest that despite the many similarities in adopted policy measures, the five countries display differences in implementation as well as outcomes. Declaration of state of emergency has differed in the Nordic region, whereas the emphasis on specialist advisory agencies in the decision-making process is a common feature. There may be differences in how respective populations complied with the recommended measures, and we suggest that other structural and circumstantial factors may have an important role in variations in outcomes across the Nordic countries. The high incidence rates among migrant populations and temporary migrant workers, as well as differences in working conditions are important factors to explore further. An important question for future research is how the COVID-19 epidemic will

Original language	English
Journal	Health Policy
Volume	126
Issue number	5
Pages (from-to)	418-426
Number of pages	9
ISSN	0168-8510
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.08.011
Publication status	Published - May 2022

Keywords

Health policy and administration
Public health
Comparative Research
Governance
System level
Influence legislation and key principles of governance in the Nordic countries

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Saunes, I. S., Vrangbæk, K., Byrkjeflot, H., Jervelund, S. S., Birk, H. O., Tynkkynen, L.-K., Keskimäki, I., Sigurgeirsdóttir, S., Janlöv, N., Ramsberg, J., Hernández-Quevedo, C., Merkur, S., Sagan, A., & Karanikolos, M. (2022). Nordic Responses to Covid-19: Governance and Policy Measures in the Early Phases of the Pandemic. Health Policy, 126(5), 418-426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.08.011

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abstract = "This paper explores and compares health system responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, in the context of existing governance features. Content compiled in the Covid-19 Health System Response Monitor combined with other publicly available country information serve as the foundation for this analysis. The analysis mainly covers early response until August 2020, but includes some key policy and epidemiological developments up until December 2020.Our findings suggest that despite the many similarities in adopted policy measures, the five countries display differences in implementation as well as outcomes. Declaration of state of emergency has differed in the Nordic region, whereas the emphasis on specialist advisory agencies in the decision-making process is a common feature. There may be differences in how respective populations complied with the recommended measures, and we suggest that other structural and circumstantial factors may have an important role in variations in outcomes across the Nordic countries. The high incidence rates among migrant populations and temporary migrant workers, as well as differences in working conditions are important factors to explore further. An important question for future research is how the COVID-19 epidemic will",

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Saunes, IS, Vrangbæk, K, Byrkjeflot, H, Jervelund, SS, Birk, HO, Tynkkynen, L-K, Keskimäki, I, Sigurgeirsdóttir, S, Janlöv, N, Ramsberg, J, Hernández-Quevedo, C, Merkur, S, Sagan, A & Karanikolos, M 2022, 'Nordic Responses to Covid-19: Governance and Policy Measures in the Early Phases of the Pandemic', Health Policy, vol. 126, no. 5, pp. 418-426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.08.011

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T1 - Nordic Responses to Covid-19

T2 - Governance and Policy Measures in the Early Phases of the Pandemic

AU - Saunes, Ingrid Sperre

AU - Vrangbæk, Karsten

AU - Byrkjeflot, Haldor

AU - Jervelund, Signe Smith

AU - Birk, Hans Okkels

AU - Tynkkynen, Liina-Kaisa

AU - Keskimäki, Ilmo

AU - Sigurgeirsdóttir, Sigurbjörg

AU - Janlöv, Nils

AU - Ramsberg, Joakim

AU - Hernández-Quevedo, Cristina

AU - Merkur, Sherry

AU - Sagan, Anna

AU - Karanikolos, Marina

PY - 2022/5

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N2 - This paper explores and compares health system responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, in the context of existing governance features. Content compiled in the Covid-19 Health System Response Monitor combined with other publicly available country information serve as the foundation for this analysis. The analysis mainly covers early response until August 2020, but includes some key policy and epidemiological developments up until December 2020.Our findings suggest that despite the many similarities in adopted policy measures, the five countries display differences in implementation as well as outcomes. Declaration of state of emergency has differed in the Nordic region, whereas the emphasis on specialist advisory agencies in the decision-making process is a common feature. There may be differences in how respective populations complied with the recommended measures, and we suggest that other structural and circumstantial factors may have an important role in variations in outcomes across the Nordic countries. The high incidence rates among migrant populations and temporary migrant workers, as well as differences in working conditions are important factors to explore further. An important question for future research is how the COVID-19 epidemic will

AB - This paper explores and compares health system responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, in the context of existing governance features. Content compiled in the Covid-19 Health System Response Monitor combined with other publicly available country information serve as the foundation for this analysis. The analysis mainly covers early response until August 2020, but includes some key policy and epidemiological developments up until December 2020.Our findings suggest that despite the many similarities in adopted policy measures, the five countries display differences in implementation as well as outcomes. Declaration of state of emergency has differed in the Nordic region, whereas the emphasis on specialist advisory agencies in the decision-making process is a common feature. There may be differences in how respective populations complied with the recommended measures, and we suggest that other structural and circumstantial factors may have an important role in variations in outcomes across the Nordic countries. The high incidence rates among migrant populations and temporary migrant workers, as well as differences in working conditions are important factors to explore further. An important question for future research is how the COVID-19 epidemic will

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KW - Public health

KW - Comparative Research

KW - Governance

KW - System level

KW - Influence legislation and key principles of governance in the Nordic countries

KW - Health policy and administration

KW - Public health

KW - Comparative Research

KW - Governance

KW - System level

KW - Influence legislation and key principles of governance in the Nordic countries

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DO - 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.08.011

M3 - Journal article

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JO - Health Policy

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