Factors driving the implementation of the ‘Local New Year’ policy to prevent COVID-19 in China

Abstract

This study examines the contradiction caused by the ‘local new year’ policy, that is, the conflict between the pandemic prevention policies and people’s emotional demands during the Spring Festival, based on the normalisation of pandemic prevention and control. It focuses on the scientific logical relationship with the contradiction that people voluntarily support ‘local new year’, to explore the primary driving factors of their willingness. By evaluating the migrant workers in large cities, the primary influencing factors were screened, and the primary dynamic factors and their relationship were obtained using the Logit logical selection model and maximum-likelihood estimation. The study identified, ‘whether social and entertainment activities are planned in migrant cities’, as the primary driving factor, followed by ‘whether there are relatives (elderly /children) at home’, and ‘contracting the infection during travel’. In view of this conclusion, this study further proposes corresponding policy suggestions: Relevant measures should be adopted according to different regions and the current situation of the pandemic in combination with the characteristics of the episodic and local nature of the pandemic. ‘Local new year’ is encouraged from the perspective of enriching people’s emotional needs for spiritual entertainment and care. This study provides a new perspective and theoretical basis for the research and formulation of policies related to the normalisation of pandemic prevention and control in China and worldwide, and has a certain practical reference value.