Stringency score of selected economies, mid-December 2020 (out of 100)
The Oxford University Covid-19 Government Response Tracker is a composite measure based on nine response indicators including school closures, workplace closures and travel bans, rescaled to a value from 0 to 100 (100 = strictest). If policies vary at the sub-national level, the index is shown as the response level of the strictest sub-region.
Egypt implemented a host of measures aimed at stemming the spread of Covid-19, including establishing testing centres, imposing curfews and capacity limits on retailers and restaurants, temporarily closing houses of worship, and restricting domestic and international air travel. The authorities also recommended that non-essential civil servants work from home.
The stringency of Egypt’s response was not only aimed at flattening the curve and relieving mounting pressure on health facilities, but also allowing a measure of business activity to continue in order to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic.
In mid-May the government unveiled a three-phase plan to gradually reopen the economy and normalise life, with curfews relaxing somewhat in June. The second half of 2020 proved to be Stringency score of selected economies, mid-December 2020 (out of 100)Egypt Morocco Saudi ArabiaTurkey UAE Jordan60.2 66.2 50.062.5 49.1 78.7The Oxford University Covid-19 Government Response Tracker is a composite measure based on nine response indicators including school closures, workplace closures and travel bans, rescaled to a value from 0 to 100 (100 = strictest). If policies vary at the sub-national level, the index is shown as the response level of the strictest sub-region.a balancing act between economic and health priorities – demonstrated, for example, by the government requiring travellers to have a negative Covid-19 test to enter the country, while moving to reopen archaeological and tourist venues.
According to the Oxford University Covid-19 Government Response Tracker, Egypt’s measures against the pandemic received a stringency rating of 60.2 out of 100 as of mid-December 2020, above those in Saudi Arabia (50) and the UAE (49.1). The stringency of its measures was comparable to Turkey (62.5), but lower than Morocco (66.2) and Jordan (78.7). The index is a composite measurement based on indicators including workplace, school and public transport closures; travel restrictions; public event cancellations; limits on private gatherings; and shelter-in-place mandates.
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