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Social mobility index. This figure shows the evolution of the social mobility index from March 1, 2020, to July 7, 2020, for Tompkins and New York counties in the state of New York, and for Lauderdale and Jefferson counties in the state of Alabama
Source publication
We assess the causal impact of social distancing on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the U.S. using the quasi-natural experimental setting created by the spontaneous relaxation of social distancing behavior brought on by the protests that erupted across the nation following George Floyd’s tragic death on May 25, 2020. Using a difference-in-difference sp...
Citations
... Countries that witnessed a protest reported more cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. In the USA, the number of COVID-19 cases increases by 3.39 cases per day, per 100,000, after the protests of George Floyd's death [26]. Due to massive protests and scheduled reopening of lock-down, we expect an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Sudan. ...
Abstract
The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). It is a global public health concern that causes rapid growth in the number of patients with significant mortality rates. The first case in Sudan was reported in the 13-March 2020, and up to 3 July 2020, there are 9894 confirmed cases, and 616 deaths. The case fatality rate was 6.23%; There is variation in case fatality rate (CFR) in some cities (like Khartoum) was low (3.8 %), while in others like North Darfur, it was very high (31.7%). The government of Sudan has implemented preventive measures during the current coronavirus disease pandemic, such as partial lock-down, contact monitoring, risk communication, social distance, quarantine, and isolation to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, there are new community cases every day; this could be as a result of the weak application of these measures by the government, and the lack of commitment of people to these measures. The number of COVID-19 cases is currently decreasing in Sudan, but we are expected to see an increase in numbers of cases as a result of the massive demonstrations that occurred in Sudan recently, and as a result of the expected reopening and restoring normal life. Therefore, the government must increase the testing facilities, maintain the social distancing, and necessary precautions to limit the spread of infection after life returns to normal.
... Countries that witnessed a protest reported more cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. In the USA, the number of COVID-19 cases increases by 3.39 cases per day, per 100,000, after the protests of George Floyd's death [26]. Due to massive protests and scheduled reopening of lock-down, we expect an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Sudan. ...
The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). It is a global public health concern that causes rapid growth in the number of patients with significant mortality rates. The first case in Sudan was reported in the 13-March 2020, and up to 3 July 2020, there are 9894 confirmed cases, and 616 deaths. The case fatality rate was 6.23%; There is variation in case fatality rate (CFR) in some cities (like Khartoum) was low (3.8 %), while in others like North Darfur, it was very high (31.7%). The government of Sudan has implemented preventive measures during the current coronavirus disease pandemic, such as partial lock-down, contact monitoring, risk communication, social distance, quarantine, and isolation to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, there are new community cases every day; this could be as a result of the weak application of these measures by the government, and the lack of commitment of people to these measures. The number of COVID-19 cases is currently decreasing in Sudan, but we are expected to see an increase in numbers of cases as a result of the massive demonstrations that occurred in Sudan recently, and as a result of the expected reopening and restoring normal life. Therefore, the government must increase the testing facilities, maintain the social distancing, and necessary precautions to limit the spread of infection after life returns to normal.
Keywords
COVID-19SARS-CoV-2Current scenarioSudan
During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals were advised to adhere to social distancing guidelines limiting physical interpersonal contact. Humans have a suite of adaptations to satisfy belonging needs while avoiding diseased conspecifics. Competition between motivational systems may explain adherence and resistance to social distancing guidelines and how technologically mediated interactions further shape these decisions. This study is a preregistered analysis of data in a representative sample collected during the pandemic investigating how individual differences in affiliative and pathogen-avoidant motives predict interest in physical interactions (N = 2409). Germ aversion predicted disinterest in physical interactions and need to belong predicted interest. Additional analyses revealed technology use satisfied belonging motives that unexpectedly heightened interest in physical contact. Exploratory analyses further indicate that internet speed was similarly associated with greater interest in physical interactions. We frame these results through a competing fundamental social motives framework and discuss how to address future pandemics effectively.
Humans are an intensely social species with a pervasive need for affiliation and social interaction. However, satisfying this fundamental motive comes with risk, including increased exposure to others' communicable pathogens. Consequently, disease mitigation strategies may require humans to downregulate their interest in socialization when pathogenic threat is elevated. Subsequent unsatisfactorily met affiliation needs can result in downregulation of disease avoidance goals in the service of social inclusion, albeit at the cost of putting individuals at greater risk for pathogen exposure. The current review summarizes past work in social and evolutionary psychology demonstrating affiliation and disease‐avoidance motivation tradeoffs. We then apply this research by articulating strategies to support and maintain social distancing behaviors in the face of loneliness, which is of particular importance during pandemic outbreaks such as COVID‐19. Finally, we propose novel and integrative research questions related to affiliation/pathogen‐avoidance tradeoffs.
