Leadership in COVID-19: Mitigation Strategies across Top 30 Gross Domestic Product Countries

This study analyzes COVID-19 response strategies in the top 30 gross domestic product countries from the first case until 30 September 2021, a period marked by increased vaccinations, the dominance of the Delta variant, and changing public health measures. We examined which mitigation efforts effectively reduced new cases and the viral reproduction rate. Vaccination policies, movement restrictions, and mask mandates were critical in reducing cases per million, while testing, public information, income support, and contact tracing were crucial for lowering the viral reproduction rate. Vaccination policies did not significantly affect the reproduction rate during implementation. The gender of leaders showed no significant effect on cases, deaths, or excess mortality, though female leaders generally implemented fewer isolation days and prioritized additional measures like movement restrictions and stay-at-home orders.