A note on how public transport announcements affect the spread of COVID-19

Abstract

We investigate the relationship between COVID-19-preventive announcements in public transport hubs and the spread of COVID-19 in Vienna, Austria. Due to its frequent high population densities, the role of public transport is a crucial topic in the field of public health, especially during times of pandemic. Using structural equation modeling, we analyze Google mobility data taken from February to December 2020 and find that changes in the contents of the announcements can influence the pandemic crisis, via their effects on public transport mobility. Interestingly, we find that different announcements affect public transport mobility differently. The impact of these announcements is maintained even after taking the effect of the contemporary government regulations into account. We therefore argue that, in order to fight the spread of the virus, it is important for policymakers to inform the general public about COVID-19-preventive behavior in an appropriate manner. We further suggest that governments take advantage of the large daily flow of people through public transport infrastructure, to disseminate vital information during crises.