Social Infrastructure During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluating the Impact of Outdoor Recreation on Pandemic Dynamics in Europe

Mahran Gamal N. Mahran, Haoying Han (), Mahmoud Mabrouk and Salma Antar A. AbouKorin
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Mahran Gamal N. Mahran: College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Haoying Han: College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Mahmoud Mabrouk: Faculty of Urban and Regional Planning, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
Salma Antar A. AbouKorin: Department of Architecture, El Minya High Institute for Engineering and Technology, Minya 61784, Egypt

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-28

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected mental and physical well-being, leading to significant changes in daily habits and preferences. Given that pandemics require the tear down of most social ties and interactions to limit their inevitable spread, this study delved into the extent to which social infrastructures have been affected, focusing on behavioral shifts in essential services such as retail, recreation, groceries, pharmacies, public transport, parks and open spaces, workplaces, and residential areas. Notably, while most social infrastructures saw a decline in public usage, parks and open spaces experienced increased visitation despite public health measures aimed at minimizing social interactions. This striking increase in park and open space visitations has captured the interest of this study to observe the impact it had on the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the underlying causes behind this trend. Since Europe was heavily affected by the pandemic, this study focused specifically on European countries over a two-year period (March 2020 to March 2022), covering the severe period of the pandemic. While parks and open spaces initially showed no direct influence on the pandemic trajectory, when closely observing visitation trends, both increases and declines, opposing insights were revealed. This study found that attempts to reduce park and open space visitation were significantly unsuccessful, leading to substantial increases in both the magnitude and duration of visits once restrictions were eased. This surge in park and open space attendance corresponded to notable spikes in new infections during periods of peak visitation. Therefore, urban planning and public health authorities must prioritize safely accommodating the increased park and open space demand while effectively minimizing virus transmission. This involves considering park sizes and proximity, along with implementing a balanced set of crucial public health strategies to support community well-being and resilience.

Keywords: social infrastructure; parks; open spaces; public health interventions; the COVID-19 pandemic; Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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