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On the interplay of regional mobility, social connectedness and the spread of COVID‐19 in Germany

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  • Cornelius Fritz
  • Göran Kauermann

Abstract

Since the primary mode of respiratory virus transmission is person‐to‐person interaction, we are required to reconsider physical interaction patterns to mitigate the number of people infected with COVID‐19. While research has shown that non‐pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) had an evident impact on national mobility patterns, we investigate the relative regional mobility behaviour to assess the effect of human movement on the spread of COVID‐19. In particular, we explore the impact of human mobility and social connectivity derived from Facebook activities on the weekly rate of new infections in Germany between 3 March and 22 June 2020. Our results confirm that reduced social activity lowers the infection rate, accounting for regional and temporal patterns. The extent of social distancing, quantified by the percentage of people staying put within a federal administrative district, has an overall negative effect on the incidence of infections. Additionally, our results show spatial infection patterns based on geographical as well as social distances.

Suggested Citation

  • Cornelius Fritz & Göran Kauermann, 2022. "On the interplay of regional mobility, social connectedness and the spread of COVID‐19 in Germany," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 185(1), pages 400-424, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jorssa:v:185:y:2022:i:1:p:400-424
    DOI: 10.1111/rssa.12753
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Krzysztof Zaremba, 2023. "Opening of hotels and ski facilities: Impact on mobility, spending, and Covid‐19 outcomes," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(5), pages 1148-1180, May.
    2. Matthias Flückiger & Markus Ludwig, 2023. "Spatial networks and the spread of COVID-19: results and policy implications from Germany," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 43(1), pages 1-27, April.
    3. Xinming Du, 2023. "Symptom or Culprit? Social Media, Air Pollution, and Violence," CESifo Working Paper Series 10296, CESifo.
    4. Beate Jahn & Sarah Friedrich & Joachim Behnke & Joachim Engel & Ursula Garczarek & Ralf Münnich & Markus Pauly & Adalbert Wilhelm & Olaf Wolkenhauer & Markus Zwick & Uwe Siebert & Tim Friede, 2022. "Authors’ response: on the role of data, statistics and decisions in a pandemic," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer;German Statistical Society, vol. 106(3), pages 403-405, September.
    5. Ursula Berger & Göran Kauermann & Helmut Küchenhoff, 2022. "Discussion on On the role of data, statistics and decisions in a pandemic," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer;German Statistical Society, vol. 106(3), pages 387-390, September.

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