Measuring the Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Mobility Aspirations and Behaviours
Davide J. Testa,
Zaheer A. S. H. Nagarwala,
João P. Vale,
Andres E. Carrillo,
Cagney T. Sargent,
Sharon Amollo,
Mutono Nyamai,
Belén Carballo-Leyenda,
Blessing N. Onyima,
Ibukun Afolabi,
Tiago S. Mayor,
Sally Hargreaves,
Marija Marković,
Andreas D. Flouris
Affiliations
Davide J. Testa
FAME Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, Greece
Zaheer A. S. H. Nagarwala
FAME Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, Greece
João P. Vale
CEFT—Transport Phenomena Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Andres E. Carrillo
Department of Exercise Science, School of Health Sciences, Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
Cagney T. Sargent
Department of Exercise Science, School of Health Sciences, Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
Sharon Amollo
Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kahawa, Nairobi 30197-00100, Kenya
Mutono Nyamai
Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis, University of Nairobi, Argwings Kodhek, Nairobi 19676-00202, Kenya
Belén Carballo-Leyenda
Department of Physical Education and Sports, Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of León, Campus de Vegazana, 24007 León, Spain
Blessing N. Onyima
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Ifite, Awka 420110, Nigeria
Ibukun Afolabi
Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Agodi, Ibadan 200285, Nigeria
Tiago S. Mayor
CEFT—Transport Phenomena Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Sally Hargreaves
Migrant Health Research Group, Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17, UK
Marija Marković
Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
Andreas D. Flouris
FAME Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala, Greece
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted tens of thousands of people worldwide to migrate from cities in its early stages, leading to an increased spread of the virus. Understanding the factors driving relocation during a pandemic is crucial for effective outbreak control. We investigated how the pandemic influenced people’s aspirations and preparations to move, both domestically and internationally, surveying individuals in Greece, India, Italy, Kenya, Nigeria, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, and the United States of America. Out of 4448 eligible responses, 765 participants (17.2%) had a strong aspiration to move due to COVID-19, and 155 (3.5%) had already prepared. Those considering relocation were statistically significantly more likely to perceive moving to an area with fewer COVID-19 cases as protective against the virus (OR = 1.3, p p p < 0.01). Social alienation, social imitation, and the perceived efficacy of mobility increased aspirations to move due to COVID-19. This study emphasizes the rapid population movements at pandemic onset and their potential contribution to disease transmission, urging future pandemic planning to take account of such mobility dynamics.
