Changes in Mobility during COVID 19 as a Response to Government Imposed Restrictions: A Multiple Regression Analysis for the Top Five Populous U.S States
With the rise of the COVID 19 pandemic, several changes occurred in the lifestyle and habits of human life. These include various voluntary and mandatory governmental restrictions, limiting social interaction by encompassing social distancing, travel limitations, social gatherings, personal mobility, as well as closures and reduced capacities in sectors such as retail, restaurants, and the entertainment industry. The purpose of the restrictions ideally intended to reduce the transmission rate of COVID 19 by limiting the overall movement of individuals, thus preventing the spread of the virus. As a result, this study seeks to identify whether regulatory restrictions posed an overall significant impact on mobility in the United States by conducting multiple linear regression analysis studies on predicting average statewide mobility (in kilometers) based on the factors of daily cases, daily deaths, and imposed governmental restrictions. By identifying the significant changes in mobility across the continental United States, a baseline can be established in order to evaluate upon the efficacy of government imposed restrictions and extend to further implementation of policies to minimize mobility and disease spread simultaneously. Additionally, with increasing concerns about a second wave or outbreak of COVID 19, this study will seek to establish inferences to re evaluate and improve upon the existing regulations, control measures, and disease mitigation techniques used to combat the spread of COVID 19 and the potential for any other similar diseases or epidemics in the future.