Socioeconomic determinants of mobility responses during the first wave of COVID-19 in Italy: from provinces to neighbourhoods

As the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections is surging across Europe, it is crucial to identify the drivers of mobility responses to mitigation efforts during different restriction regimes, for planning interventions that are both economically and socially sustainable while effective in controlling the outbreak. Here, using anonymous and privacy enhanced cell phone data from Italy, we investigate the determinants of spatial variations of reductions in mobility and co-location in response to the adoption and the lift of restrictions, considering both provinces and city neighbourhoods. In large urban areas, our analysis uncovers the desertification of historic city centers, which persisted after the end of the lockdown. At the province level, the local structure of the labour market mainly explained the variations in mobility responses, together with other demographic factors, such as population’s age and sex composition. In the future, targeted interventions should take into account how the ability to comply with restrictions varies across geographic areas and socio-demographic groups.