Understanding evidence pathways and government decision-making in response to Covid-19: a multi-country comparative analysis

In the face of Covid-19, governments globally have been making urgent and difficult decisions. Yet in spite of the apparent uniformity of threat, and the almost universally proclaimed adherence to scientific guidance, their responses have diverged. Government responses have ranged from the negation or minimisation of the threat and reliance on individual behavioural modification, to stringent population-wide restrictions of movement, employment and education, as well as everything in-between. What is behind the diversity? How are different governments framing the problem and what elements are they prioritising in response to local conditions? Do the institutional settings of different jurisdictions present impediments or advantages in their respective responses? Which domains of expertise are governments engaging to help them come to decisions and shape responses?