What is Peltzman Effect and its relationship with COVID-19.
                     WHAT IS 
PELTZMAN 
EFFECT AND 
ITS 
RELATIONSHIP 
WITH COVID-19
INTRODUCTION
According to public health experts, the rise in COVID cases is due to Peltzman Effect that says that 
people are more likely to engage in risky behavior when security measures are mandated.
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Source: www.newindianexpress.com
MILD INFECTIONS
The vaccines available do not offer 100 per cent immunity against Covid-19.  Mild infections are still 
possible even after getting two doses. Lowering of guard following vaccination is a concern
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Source: www.newindianexpress.com
INCREASING CASES 
OF HEALTH WORKERS
According to the state secretary of Indian Medical Association, Dr Gopikumar P, cases rose among 
health workers because they had to deal with more Covid-19 patients after a lull.
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Source: www.newindianexpress.com
PROPORTIONAL CASES 
OF HEALTH WORKERS
The cases among health workers had dipped after the vaccination started on January 16. Dr Arun N M, 
a physician, the proportion of health workers to the total cases had come down from 1-2 per cent to 
about 0.6 per cent.
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Source: www.newindianexpress.com
REASONS FOR THE 
SECOND WAVE
While the reasons for the second wave are many, what is different this time is the decline in the usage 
of PPE kits, the reluctance of authorities to impose lockdowns, and avoiding sealing of houses or 
barricading areas reporting these cases.
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Source: www.deccanherald.com
RELEVANCE OF 
PELTZMAN EFFECT 
The Peltzman Effect is relevant today in understanding the impact and efficacy of vaccination drives. It 
can be used to study individuals who get a sense of security after being vaccinated may engage in 
riskier behaviour.
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Source: www.newindianexpress.com
PEOPLE'S 
PERCEPTION OF RISK
Peltzman Effect has been termed after Sam Peltzman, an economist at the University of Chicago, who 
first described it in 1975. According to the theory, when safety measures are mandated, people's 
perception of risk decreases, making them take riskier decisions.
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Source: www. nationalheraldindia.com
SAFETY PERCEPTION 
INCREASES RISK APPETITE
Peltzman postulated about mandating the use of seatbelts in automobiles, leading to more accidents. It 
implies that safety perception increases risk appetite. In other terms, people become more careful 
when they sense greater risk and less careful if they feel more protected, according to his theory.
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VACCINES ARE GIVING 
A SENSE OF SECURITY
Similarly, in the case of COVID-19, vaccines are giving a sense of security, leading to increased risky 
behaviour, that is low adherence to preventive measures mask usage, social distancing and hand 
sanitisation.
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Source: www. nationalheraldindia.com
VACCINES NEITHER GIVE 
IMMEDIATE PROTECTION OR 
FULL PROTECTION
While it is a known fact that vaccines neither give immediate protection or full protection (against 
infection as against death), the sense of security unfortunately starts much earlier, even before the 
actual injection: people wear masks with less caution, do not maintain distance as soon as they reach 
vaccination centres.
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Source: www. nationalheraldindia.com