Changing travel patterns in China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

LSHTM CMMID COVID-19 Working Group

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-18783-0

Changing travel patterns in China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

LSHTM CMMID COVID-19 Working Group

Global Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Understanding changes in human mobility in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial for assessing the impacts of travel restrictions designed to reduce disease spread. Here, relying on data from mainland China, we investigate the spatio-temporal characteristics of human mobility between 1st January and 1st March 2020, and discuss their public health implications. An outbound travel surge from Wuhan before travel restrictions were implemented was also observed across China due to the Lunar New Year, indicating that holiday travel may have played a larger role in mobility changes compared to impending travel restrictions. Holiday travel also shifted healthcare pressure related to COVID-19 towards locations with lower healthcare capacity. Network analyses showed no sign of major changes in the transportation network after Lunar New Year. Changes observed were temporary and did not lead to structural reorganisation of the transportation network during the study period.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	5012
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	11
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18783-0
State	Published - Dec 1 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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10.1038/s41467-020-18783-0

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@article{9f124466d45c42819c85043cd5caea4e,

title = "Changing travel patterns in China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic",

abstract = "Understanding changes in human mobility in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial for assessing the impacts of travel restrictions designed to reduce disease spread. Here, relying on data from mainland China, we investigate the spatio-temporal characteristics of human mobility between 1st January and 1st March 2020, and discuss their public health implications. An outbound travel surge from Wuhan before travel restrictions were implemented was also observed across China due to the Lunar New Year, indicating that holiday travel may have played a larger role in mobility changes compared to impending travel restrictions. Holiday travel also shifted healthcare pressure related to COVID-19 towards locations with lower healthcare capacity. Network analyses showed no sign of major changes in the transportation network after Lunar New Year. Changes observed were temporary and did not lead to structural reorganisation of the transportation network during the study period.",

author = "{LSHTM CMMID COVID-19 Working Group} and Hamish Gibbs and Yang Liu and Pearson, {Carl A.B.} and Jarvis, {Christopher I.} and Chris Grundy and Quilty, {Billy J.} and Charlie Diamond and David Simons and Amy Gimma and Leclerc, {Quentin J.} and Megan Auzenbergs and Rachel Lowe and Kathleen O{\textquoteright}Reilly and Matthew Quaife and Joel Hellewell and Knight, {Gwenan M.} and Thibaut Jombart and Petra Klepac and Procter, {Simon R.} and Deol, {Arminder K.} and Rees, {Eleanor M.} and Stefan Flasche and Kucharski, {Adam J.} and Sam Abbott and Sun, {Fiona Yueqian} and Akira Endo and Graham Medley and Munday, {James D.} and Meakin, {Sophie R.} and Bosse, {Nikos I.} and Edmunds, {W. John} and Davies, {Nicholas G.} and Kiesha Prem and St{\'e}phane Hu{\'e} and Villabona-Arenas, {C. Julian} and Nightingale, {Emily S.} and Houben, {Rein M.G.J.} and Foss, {Anna M.} and Tully, {Damien C.} and Emery, {Jon C.} and {van Zandvoort}, Kevin and Atkins, {Katherine E.} and Alicia Rosello and Sebastian Funk and Mark Jit and Samuel Clifford and Russell, {Timothy W.} and Eggo, {Rosalind M.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, The Author(s).",

year = "2020",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1038/s41467-020-18783-0",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "11",

journal = "Nature communications",

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T1 - Changing travel patterns in China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

AU - LSHTM CMMID COVID-19 Working Group

AU - Gibbs, Hamish

AU - Liu, Yang

AU - Pearson, Carl A.B.

AU - Jarvis, Christopher I.

AU - Grundy, Chris

AU - Quilty, Billy J.

AU - Diamond, Charlie

AU - Simons, David

AU - Gimma, Amy

AU - Leclerc, Quentin J.

AU - Auzenbergs, Megan

AU - Lowe, Rachel

AU - O’Reilly, Kathleen

AU - Quaife, Matthew

AU - Hellewell, Joel

AU - Knight, Gwenan M.

AU - Jombart, Thibaut

AU - Klepac, Petra

AU - Procter, Simon R.

AU - Deol, Arminder K.

AU - Rees, Eleanor M.

AU - Flasche, Stefan

AU - Kucharski, Adam J.

AU - Abbott, Sam

AU - Sun, Fiona Yueqian

AU - Endo, Akira

AU - Medley, Graham

AU - Munday, James D.

AU - Meakin, Sophie R.

AU - Bosse, Nikos I.

AU - Edmunds, W. John

AU - Davies, Nicholas G.

AU - Prem, Kiesha

AU - Hué, Stéphane

AU - Villabona-Arenas, C. Julian

AU - Nightingale, Emily S.

AU - Houben, Rein M.G.J.

AU - Foss, Anna M.

AU - Tully, Damien C.

AU - Emery, Jon C.

AU - van Zandvoort, Kevin

AU - Atkins, Katherine E.

AU - Rosello, Alicia

AU - Funk, Sebastian

AU - Jit, Mark

AU - Clifford, Samuel

AU - Russell, Timothy W.

AU - Eggo, Rosalind M.

PY - 2020/12/1

Y1 - 2020/12/1

N2 - Understanding changes in human mobility in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial for assessing the impacts of travel restrictions designed to reduce disease spread. Here, relying on data from mainland China, we investigate the spatio-temporal characteristics of human mobility between 1st January and 1st March 2020, and discuss their public health implications. An outbound travel surge from Wuhan before travel restrictions were implemented was also observed across China due to the Lunar New Year, indicating that holiday travel may have played a larger role in mobility changes compared to impending travel restrictions. Holiday travel also shifted healthcare pressure related to COVID-19 towards locations with lower healthcare capacity. Network analyses showed no sign of major changes in the transportation network after Lunar New Year. Changes observed were temporary and did not lead to structural reorganisation of the transportation network during the study period.

AB - Understanding changes in human mobility in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial for assessing the impacts of travel restrictions designed to reduce disease spread. Here, relying on data from mainland China, we investigate the spatio-temporal characteristics of human mobility between 1st January and 1st March 2020, and discuss their public health implications. An outbound travel surge from Wuhan before travel restrictions were implemented was also observed across China due to the Lunar New Year, indicating that holiday travel may have played a larger role in mobility changes compared to impending travel restrictions. Holiday travel also shifted healthcare pressure related to COVID-19 towards locations with lower healthcare capacity. Network analyses showed no sign of major changes in the transportation network after Lunar New Year. Changes observed were temporary and did not lead to structural reorganisation of the transportation network during the study period.

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SN - 2041-1723

VL - 11

JO - Nature communications

JF - Nature communications

IS - 1

M1 - 5012

ER -

Changing travel patterns in China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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