Mobility, COVID-19 cases and virus reproduction rate data analysis for Romania using Machine Learning Algorithms

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of lockdown measures on population mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania. Many countries, including Romania, have adopted quarantine and isolation for infected people in attempting to stop the virus transmission and the rapid escalation of the number of cases, which has put great pressure on hospitals. These measures have slowed down the economy leading to the loss of jobs with a massive impact on people's psychology by increasing panic or anxiety. Mobility data is used as a measurement representation of social distancing and therefore, combining mobility data sets with COVID-19-related data might support the analysis between the virus effects and mobility and, correspondingly, the population mobility impact on virus transmission. It is undeniable that the imposed restrictions have influenced the business environment, our aim being to investigate the relationship between the number of COVID-19 cases, the virus reproduction rate, and the changes in mobility toward retail outlets and workplaces.