Big data insight on global mobility during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic that began in the city of Wuhan in China has caused a huge number of deaths worldwide. Countries have introduced spatial restrictions on movement and social distancing in response to the rapid rate of SARS-Cov-2 transmission among its populations. Research originality lies in the taken global perspective revealing indication of significant relationships between changes in mobility and the number of Covid-19 cases. The study uncovers a time offset between the two applied databases, Google Mobility and John Hopkins University, influencing correlations between mobility and pandemic development. Analyses reveals a link between the introduction of lockdown and the number of new Covid-19 cases. Types of mobility with the most significant impact on the development of the pandemic are "retail and recreation areas", "transit stations", "workplaces" "groceries and pharmacies". The difference in the correlation between the lockdown introduced and the number of SARS-COV-2 cases is 81%, when using a 14-day weighted average compared to the 7-day average. Moreover, the study reveals a strong geographical diversity in human mobility and its impact on the number of new Covid-19 cases.

Keywords: Big data; Correlation; Covid-19; Human dynamics; Human mobility; Lockdown.

Fig. 1

John Hopkins University data processing process

Fig. 2

Google Mobility for Australia visualized in MS PowerBI dashboard

Fig. 3

Google Mobility and John Hopkins University data processing process

Fig. 4

Correlation by window size for all data

Fig. 5

Square of correlation by window size split by offset days

Fig. 6

Square of correlation by number of offset days—all 301 days of analysis

Fig. 7

Square of correlation by number of offset days—first 150 days of analysis

Fig. 8

Square of correlation by number of offset days—last 151 days of analysis

Fig. 9

Square of correlation with a 16-day offset of mobility types by region

Fig. 10

Cyclic type lockdown

Fig. 11

(Several) Distinct type lockdown

Fig. 12

Trended gradual return to full activity

Fig. 13

Main lockdown followed by selective workplaces reduction

Fig. 14

Minimal but steady reduction of activity

Fig. 15

Minimal but steady reduction of activity

Fig. 16

Retail and Recreation type lockdown

Fig. 17

Two main with additional short duration drop in activity

Fig. 18

Two main with additional short duration drop in activity

Fig. 19

Two main with summer work activity decrease

Fig. 20

Two main with summer work activity decrease

Fig. 21

Single intense lockdown

Fig. 22

Single intense lockdown

Fig. 23

Two intense lockdowns

Fig. 24

Summer time lockdown

Fig. 25

Summer time lockdown

Fig. 26

Full year intense lockdown

Fig. 27

Second half of the year lockdown

Fig. 28

Full year lockdown with medium intensity

Fig. 29

Full year lockdown with medium intensity

Fig. 30

Medium intense lockdown with unusual workplaces activity increase