This study investigates how social vulnerability moderates the relationship between human mobility and COVID-19 transmission in US counties during the summer of 2020. A COVID-19 Pandemic Vulnerability Index (CPVI) was developed to quantify social vulnerability, incorporating socioeconomic, health, and environmental factors. The analysis revealed that highly vulnerable counties experienced nearly double the COVID-19 transmission associated with mobility compared to less vulnerable counties. This highlights the need for targeted social distancing measures that consider community vulnerability.

Bo Huang, ZhiHui Huang, Chen Chen, Jian Lin, Tony Tam, Yingyi Hong, Sen Pei