How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Population Mobility in Taiwan?

Shih-Feng Liu, Hui-Chuan Chang, Jui-Fang Liu and Ho-Chang Kuo ()
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Shih-Feng Liu: Department of Respiratory Therapy, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Hui-Chuan Chang: Department of Respiratory Therapy, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Jui-Fang Liu: Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
Ho-Chang Kuo: Department of Respiratory Therapy, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-9

Abstract: Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) impairs the free movement of human beings. The study aims to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected population mobility. Methods: The study obtained Google COVID-19 population mobility report and e Taiwan COVID-19 pandemic information from Our World in Data. Results: During the Alpha wave, transit decreased the most, with an average difference of >50%, followed by parks, workplaces, groceries, and pharmacies. During the Omicron wave, the average population flow in parks and transit decreased by about 20%. During the pre-existing wave, the average population visits of transit decreased by 10% at the most, followed by parks and workplaces. The peak of daily new confirmed cases per million (7-day rolling average) was 25.02, 6.39, and 0.81 for Alpha, Omicron, and the pre-existing wave, respectively. Daily new confirmed cases per million people correlated with the change in population visits of various places (all p < 0.001). The reproduction rate (7-day rolling average) correlated with the change of population visits of most places, except retail and recreation. We conclude the Alpha variant affected more individuals than Omicron and pre-existing type. Furthermore, changes in population visits in transit were most impacted. This change was consistent with daily new confirmed cases per million people and reproduction rate (7-day rolling average). Conclusion: The Alpha variant affected more individuals than the Omicron and pre-existing types. Furthermore, changes in population visits in transit locations were most impacted. This change was consistent with the daily new number of confirmed cases per million people and the 7-day rolling average reproduction rate.

Keywords: population mobility; COVID-19; pandemic; Taiwan; Alpha; Omicron (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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