Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

November 12, 2020

Mobility Network Models of COVID-19 Explain Inequities and Inform Reopening

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  • A transmission model incorporating mobility networks from neighborhoods to locations of interest suggests a small minority of “superspreader” locations, such as full-service restaurants and hotels, account for the majority of infections. The mobility networks are derived from cell phone data from 10 large US metropolitan areas. The model also predicts higher infection rates among lower-income groups who did not experience a substantial decrease in mobility and tend to gather in more crowded locations. The authors recommend focusing efforts on superspreader locations rather than applying blanket policies.

Chang et al. (Nov 10, 2020). Mobility Network Models of COVID-19 Explain Inequities and Inform Reopening. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2923-3