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. 2020 Jul;111(3):465-481.
doi: 10.1111/tesg.12449. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Mega Regions and Pandemics

Patrick Adler  1 , Richard Florida  1 , Maxwell Hartt  2
Affiliations

Mega Regions and Pandemics

Patrick Adler et al. Tijdschr Econ Soc Geogr. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has put the relationship between spatial structure and disease exposure into relief. Here, we propose that mega regions - clusters of metropolitan regions like the Acela Corridor in the United States are more exposed to diseases earlier in pandemics. We review standard accounts for the benefits and costs of locating in such regions before arguing that pandemic risk is higher there on average. We test this mega region exposure theory with a study of the US urban system. Our results indicate that American mega regions have born the early brunt of the disease, and that three mega regions are hotspots. From this standpoint, the extent more than the intensity of New York's urbanization may be implicated in its COVID-19 experience. We conclude that early pandemic risk is a hitherto unrecognised diseconomy operating in mega regions.

Keywords: COVID‐19; agglomeration; clustering; coronavirus; regional economic growth; satellite data.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
North America's mega regions [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]. Source: originally from City Lab (https://www.citylab.com/life/2019/02/global-megaregions-economic-powerhouse-megalopolis/583729/).
Figure 2
Figure 2
COVID‐19 mortality by regional category.
Figure 3
Figure 3
COVID‐19 deaths by week and region type.
Figure 4
Figure 4
ANCOVA of COVID‐19 deaths by region type. Adjusting for health outcomes, airport size and density.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The distribution of county COVID‐19 deaths by megaregion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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