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Quantifying population contact patterns in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic

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  • Dennis M. Feehan

    (University of California, Berkeley)

  • Ayesha S. Mahmud

    (University of California, Berkeley)

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted primarily through close, person-to-person interactions. Physical distancing policies can control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 by reducing the amount of these interactions in a population. Here, we report results from four waves of contact surveys designed to quantify the impact of these policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. We surveyed 9,743 respondents between March 22 and September 26, 2020. We find that interpersonal contact has been dramatically reduced in the US, with an 82% (95%CI: 80%–83%) reduction in the average number of daily contacts observed during the first wave compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, we find increases in contact rates over the subsequent waves. We also find that certain demographic groups, including people under 45 and males, have significantly higher contact rates than the rest of the population. Tracking these changes can provide rapid assessments of the impact of physical distancing policies and help to identify at-risk populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Dennis M. Feehan & Ayesha S. Mahmud, 2021. "Quantifying population contact patterns in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-20990-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-20990-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Unchitta Kan & Jericho McLeod & Eduardo López, 2024. "Non-coresident family as a driver of migration change in a crisis: the case of the COVID-19 pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Maria Bekker‐Nielsen Dunbar & Felix Hofmann & Leonhard Held, 2022. "Session 3 of the RSS Special Topic Meeting on Covid‐19 Transmission: Replies to the discussion," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 185(S1), pages 158-164, November.
    3. Francesc López Seguí & Oriol Estrada Cuxart & Oriol Mitjà i Villar & Guillem Hernández Guillamet & Núria Prat Gil & Josep Maria Bonet & Mar Isnard Blanchar & Nemesio Moreno Millan & Ignacio Blanco & M, 2021. "A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the COVID-19 Asymptomatic Mass Testing Strategy in the North Metropolitan Area of Barcelona," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-9, June.
    4. Dramane Sam Idris Kanté & Aissam Jebrane & Anass Bouchnita & Abdelilah Hakim, 2023. "Estimating the Risk of Contracting COVID-19 in Different Settings Using a Multiscale Transmission Dynamics Model," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, January.

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