Paper Title
CROSS COUNTRY ANALYSIS OF POLICIES TO RECOVER FROM PANDEMICS: A FOCUS ON HUMAN VALUES

Abstract
Human values such as conservation (security, tradition and conformity) and openness to change (self-direction and stimulation) play a major role in managing national health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak forced governments to impose stringent mitigation strategies on its citizens. Recent studies reveal that citizenry of various nations reacted to government policy measures differently when asked if they are satisfied with government handling of COVID. This study aims to analyze the reasons for satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with public health mitigation policies while focusing on human values in two European countries. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) is proposed and the national health survey data of Great Britain and Italy is used to test several hypothesis. SEM model analysis suggests that the conservation value (security, tradition and conformity) is negatively significant for Great Britain and Italy when it comes to satisfaction with government handing of COVID situation. Individuals holding high openness to change values (self-direction and stimulation) tend to welcome any change and encourage the pursuit of new ideas and experiences. In contrast conservation values put emphasis on maintaining the status quo and avoiding change. As pandemic mitigation policies represent change in modern lives with unpredictable consequences,healthcare policy planners need to carefully balance between conservation and openness values in the society.