Dr. Marc Scott and PRIISM Affiliate Dr. Augustin de Coulon published a paper in PLOS ONE that investigates the diffusion of COVID-19 across neighborhoods in two major cities, London and New York. A comparative surveillance approach mapping the disease progression through different populations yields insight into constraints linked to social class and the labor market, human behavior (adaptation and reversion), and the perception of risk.
Abstract
Using publicly available data, this paper investigates the diffusion of COVID-19 across neighborhoods in two major cities, London and New York. We link neighborhood demographics to incidence, and we investigate patterns of change over time in conjunction with changing policy responses to the pandemic. By comparing and contrasting these two cities, we are able to exploit surveillance and policy differences, demonstrating how each contributes information to the other. We conclude that better coordination can be translated into improved health policy.