Abstract
In this study, we examined the impact of COVID-19 infection status on mobility in seven prefectures selected as urban and rural areas of Japan. Correlation coefficients between mobility use and the number of new infections (own prefecture and whole country) were calculated by shifting the data on the number of new infections to estimate when each infection status had the greatest impact on mobility use. In addition, regression analysis was performed to examine the extent of the impact. The results indicate that the decrease in mobility from the spread of infection may have occurred earlier in the second wave than in the first wave. It is also indicated that the period of the first wave in rural areas was longer than that in their own prefectures, as they were more influenced by the national infection situation. Furthermore, in the first wave, when the number of new infections nationwide was used as an explanatory variable, the regression coefficients were significant in all prefectures, and the coefficient of determination was higher in many prefectures than when the number of new infections in their own prefecture was used as an explanatory variable. The results of this study suggest that mobility may have changed in the first wave due to the nationwide infection situation reported by the mass media in addition to the local infection situation in Japan.
