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Effectiveness of Human Mobility Change in Reducing the Spread of COVID-19: Ecological Study of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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  • Mohamed Ali Alzain

    (Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia
    Departments of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Dongola, Dongola, P.O. Box 47, Dongola 41111, Sudan)

  • Collins Otieno Asweto

    (Department of Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Embu, Embu P.O. Box 6-60100, Kenya)

  • Suleman Atique

    (Department of Health Informatics, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Najm Eldinn Elsser Elhassan

    (Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Ahmed Kassar

    (Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Sehar-un-Nisa Hassan

    (Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammed Ismail Humaida

    (Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Rafeek Adeyemi Yusuf

    (Department of Management, Policy and Community Health, University of Texas Health Sciences at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA)

  • Adeniyi Abolaji Adeboye

    (Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia
    Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Sciences at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA)

Abstract

Non-pharmacological interventions including mobility restriction have been developed to curb transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We provided precise estimates of disease burden and examined the impact of mobility restriction on reducing the COVID-19 effective reproduction number in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study involved secondary analysis of open-access COVID-19 data obtained from different sources between 2 March and 26 December 2020. The dependent and main independent variables of interest were the effective reproduction number and anonymized mobility indices, respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between the community mobility change and the effective reproduction number for COVID-19. By 26 December 2020, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Saudi Arabia reached 360,690, with a cumulative incidence rate of 105.41/10,000 population. Al Jouf, Northern Border, and Jazan regions were ≥2.5 times (OR = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.29–6.64), (OR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.08–5.81), and (OR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.09–5.79) more likely to have a higher case fatality rate than Riyadh, the capital. Mobility changes in public and residential areas were significant predictors of the COVID-19 effective reproduction number. This study demonstrated that community mobility restrictions effectively control transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamed Ali Alzain & Collins Otieno Asweto & Suleman Atique & Najm Eldinn Elsser Elhassan & Ahmed Kassar & Sehar-un-Nisa Hassan & Mohammed Ismail Humaida & Rafeek Adeyemi Yusuf & Adeniyi Abolaji Adebo, 2022. "Effectiveness of Human Mobility Change in Reducing the Spread of COVID-19: Ecological Study of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:6:p:3368-:d:770245
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mitze, Timo & Kosfeld, Reinhold & Rode, Johannes & Wälde, Klaus, 2020. "Face masks considerably reduce COVID-19 cases in Germany," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 124130, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    2. Mitze, Timo & Kosfeld, Reinhold & Rode, Johannes & Wälde, Klaus, 2020. "Face masks considerably reduce COVID-19 cases in Germany," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 124587, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    3. Mitze, Timo & Kosfeld, Reinhold & Rode, Johannes & Wälde, Klaus, 2020. "Face Masks Considerably Reduce COVID-19 Cases in Germany: A Synthetic Control Method Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 13319, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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