Abstract
To analyse the endogenous connection between COVID-19 and
non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in US states. I employ a panel VAR
approach to investigate the endogenous interactions between deaths due
to covid (COV) and NCDs in US states. The NCDs considered are
respiratory (RES) and circulatory (CIR) diseases. I use Arellano–Bond’s
dynamic panel equations to supply estimates for the dynamic relationship
between COVID-19 and NCDs. Thereafter, I estimate the orthogonalized
impulse response functions (IRFs), which help isolate the response of a
variable to an orthogonal shock in another variable of interest. The
results show evidence of a significant positive relationship between
mortality due to COVID-19 and NCDs. Most impacts peak after two weeks,
corresponding with the latent period between covid infection and
mortality. Besides, I find that while a positive shock to mortality from
respiratory illnesses affects that from circulatory illnesses, the
reverse is not the case. Lastly, these results differ by gender and are
robust to several sensitivity checks, so large deviations are
unexpected. The paper summarises the findings and proffers potential
policies and interventions (e.g. providing cancer scanners in
supermarkets) that could reduce the reinforcing effects of COVID-19 on
NCDs.