Determination of Population Mobility Dynamics in Popayán-Colombia during the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Open Datasets

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Data Science

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic's rapid spread highlighted the need for effective population mobility control.
• Understanding population movement dynamics is crucial for mitigating the epidemiological impact of infectious diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the reliability of a Facebook-derived exposure indicator for population mobility.
• To analyze population mobility patterns in Popayán post-COVID-19 emergence.
• To compare Facebook data with Google and Apple mobility reports.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Facebook movement range data to create a population mobility exposure indicator.
• Applied statistical analysis to evaluate the indicator's performance.
• Contrasted indicator data with publicly available circulation reports from Google and Apple.

Main Results:

• The Facebook-based exposure indicator demonstrated reliability in tracking population mobility.
• Moderate to strong linear relationships were observed between the indicator and public data sources.
• The indicator shows potential as a supplementary tool for pandemic response.

Conclusions:

• The Facebook exposure indicator is a viable resource for monitoring population mobility during health crises.
• This data can support evidence-based decision-making for pandemic containment.
• Further research can refine the use of social media data in public health surveillance.