65.9 Overall Score (down 3.6 since Aug 1st.)

Argentina

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Data as of Mar 15

56 Public Health
Directives
29.2 Financial
Response
100 Fact-Based
Communication

56 Public Health
Directives
29.2 Financial
Response
100 Fact-Based
Communication

Argentina’s strong policy score is mainly due to its strong political response, characterized by clear, fact-based communication and regular press briefings by President Fernandez.

Pre-COVID Conditions

Low availability of hospital beds and a low GDP per capita kept Argentina near the median in its pre-pandemic capabilities.

Debt/GDP ratio 86.1%
GDP/capita $19,971
Gini coefficient (out of 100) 41.4
Infant mortality rate (out of 1,000 live births) 9
Healthcare access score (out of 100) 68.4
Hospital beds/1,000 People 35.8

Government Response

Select a data point for more information
(Data points represent policy level as of Mar 15.)

Public Health Directives

Argentina's public health policy score is above the median, thanks to its strict stay-at-home order early in the crisis and stringent restrictions, although its low emergency healthcare spending and limited testing bring its score down.

Stay at home order 2
Public gathering restrictions 4
School closings 3
Public event cancellations 2
Testing policy 2
Emergency healthcare investments/capita $4.48
Travel restrictions 3
Tests/1,000 people 153.1
Contact tracing 2

29.2

Financial Response

Despite a relatively strong early financial response, particularly in terms of debt relief, Argentina's financial response is weak, due to its relatively modest spending as compared to other countries.

Financial stimulus as share of GDP 6%
Income support 1
Debt forebearance 1

100

Fact-Based Communication

The Argentine authorities have consistently communicated fact- and science-based information to the public through weekly press briefings.

Reliance on science/fact based information 0
Press freedom 0

COVID-19 Status as of Mar 15

Having experienced a surge last September, an extension of the lockdown helped to bring case and death rates down. However, Argentina's score remains near the median due to high cumulative case and death rates over time.

Total deaths 6,742
Death rate per 100K 149.2
Total cases 2,201,886
Cases per 100K 102
Percent of positive tests 20.9
Change in positivity rates -11.1

Daily cases Level 2 Lockdown Level 3 Lockdown

	Date	Status	New Cases/1M
1	Jul 17	Some shops, hair salons, professional services reopen; outdoor activities allowed	99.97
2	Jul 31	Lockdown is extended until August after cases rise	131.19
3	Sep 21	Lockdown further extended until October 11th	194.31
4	Nov 07	Move to social distancing and relax lockdown	177.83
5	Jan 07	Imposed restrictions on nighttime movement	306.11
6	Feb 17	Schools start re-opening for in-person classes	134.17

Differentiating Factors

Argentina releases list of vaccine recipients as scandal widens: The government released the names of dozens of officials and allies who secretly got vaccinated against COVID-19 in an apparent violation of the country's guidelines. The health minister resigned. Read More
Argentina approves Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use: The country's drug regulator authorized the emergency use of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine ahead of an expected delivery of one million doses. Read More
Argentina takes a shot with Russia's Sputnik vaccine: After a multi-pronged effort to position itself to get early access to vaccines, Argentina could only secure the Sputnik V from Russia and is now vaccinating tens of thousands of front-line workers. Read More
Argentina passes tax on wealthy to pay for virus measures: The Argentine senate passed a 3.5 percent tax on those with assets worth more than $2.5 million. The money raised from the tax will go toward providing medical supplies, relief for small businesses, scholarships for students, social developments, and natural gas ventures. Read More
Lockdown restrictions lead to violent police enforcement: Argentine security officers were given broad enforcement authority for the national lockdown from March through November 2020. Between March and August, the national Human Rights Secretary reported receiving 531 complaints of police abuse, including 25 deaths. Read More
Strict lockdown taking major economic toll: Imposing the strictest lockdown in Latin America, Argentina had early success limiting cases, but implementation has contributed to a major contraction in the economy. Read More
Debt burden hindered financial response: Argentina's historically rocky relationship with the IMF has hindered its ability to respond to the pandemic financially, as it must balance stabilization of its economy and responding to the needs of its citizens with the conditions of its debt restructuring agreement with the Fund. Read More

Compared with Other Western Hemisphere Countries

37.8
Brazil 11,519,609
Cases 1,841
Per 1M 66,849
Deaths

Brazil has a relatively weak score, primarily due to its poor public health policies, especially its very low levels of testing, coupled with President Bolsonaro’s spreading of misinformation about the virus.
39.2
Mexico 2,167,729
Cases 574
Per 1M 5,322
Deaths

Mexico's score has deteriorated over time, due primarily to its extremely weak financial response and relatively weak public health policy, including very limited testing.
19.9
United States 29,495,424
Cases 1,361
Per 1M 55,333
Deaths

Still battling widespread COVID-19 cases and deaths, which were exacerbated by the former administration's limited use of facts and science, limited emergency healthcare spending, and limited debt relief, the Biden administration, by contrast, is taking aggressive action to combat the virus, although it may take time for the score to reflect these changes.
63.3
Canada 918,406
Cases 30
Per 1M 3,166
Deaths

Canada has a relatively strong score, with poor public health policy countered by a continued reliance on fact-based communication.

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Statistics and government response factors available on each country profile include:

Pre-COVID Conditions:

Debt to GDP ratio
Infant mortality rates
Hospital beds per 1,000 people
Gini coefficients measuring inequality
Health access and quality

COVID-19 Public Health Directives:

Stay-at home orders
School-closing policy
Public-gathering restrictions
Cancellation of public events
Testing policy and rates per 1,000 people
Emergency healthcare spending per capita
Travel restrictions
Contact tracing

COVID-19 Financial Response:

Stimulus package as a share of GDP
Income support
Debt-forbearance

Public Communications:

Instances of misinformation by leadership
Limitations on press freedom, censorship

Current/Historic In-Country COVID-19 Status:

Death rates per 1 million
Case rates per 1 million