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

Argentina

  • 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.)
56

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
Case Trend Line
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

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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New Zealand

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