Chapter 8: Compliance with Protective Health Behaviors During COVID-19: Variations Over Time and by Country

This chapter documents how the early request for citizens to participate in health-protective behaviors to quell the spread of the disease became politicized. Health-protective behaviors, such as social distancing and mask wearing, were found to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Yet, despite the evidence that compliance helped control the pandemic’s spread, mask wearing became a politicized symbol during the early stages of the pandemic. Particularly in the United States, bipartisan stances for and against mask wearing developed quickly as conspiracy theories, supported by President Trump, downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic. As vaccines appeared by late 2020, this polarization continued, again with President Trump aiming blame that the release of the vaccine was timed with 2020 election and raising questions with its safety. In comparison, Prime Minister Marin took a pro-science, global approach to Finland’s mandate and vaccine response. Using regression analysis, I examine the growing political divide that occurred between April 2020 and November 2020, highlighting the growth of politicization for both mask wearing and vaccine intention in both the United States and Finland. While analyses from April 2020 show support for the party in power (Republicans for the United States and left-leaning parties for Finland) was not a significant predictor of mask wearing in either country, by November 2020, political party significantly predicted both mask wearing and vaccine intention in both countries. Additionally, other important predictive factors, particularly state/citizen collaborative dimensions, are reviewed and discussed.