2021 Essays

Human Mobility Patterns Linked to COVID-19 Prone Locations

Kulkarni, Aditya

Since the onset of COVID-19 in late 2019, the virus has affected human mobility and the economy in many ways. Countries closed their borders to non-essential travelers, some cities had to quarantine, and many businesses had to shut down and pivot to online customer interactions (the feasibility was largely dependent on a business’s sector: the hospitality industry versus the technology industry). These all contributed to unprecedented numbers of people losing their jobs and sharp contractions in economies worldwide––on top of 2.69 million people who have died of COVID-19 as of March 19th, 2021. During this time, researchers have focused their attention on assisting the broader community by releasing findings and developing projects to expand our knowledge on various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of beginning economic recovery, an important question for researchers is how to identify when it is safe to reopen businesses and other places of gathering.