ArticlePDF Available

Regional Implications of COVID-19

July 2023
International Regional Science Review 46(5-6)

DOI:10.1177/01600176231189433

Authors:

Sebastien Bourdin

Normandy Business School

Nadine Levratto

Paris Nanterre University

This special issue of the International Regional Science Review illuminates the “geography of COVID-19”, examining the spatial patterns, distribution, and interconnectedness of COVID-19 cases. It explores the regional disparities in infection rates, highlighting how socioeconomic factors, mobility, and healthcare accessibility contributed to these inequalities. The issue is divided into three sections, focusing on regional economic dynamics and labor markets, public health responses and vaccination policies, and social and demographic vulnerabilities. Each section comprises research papers presenting insights and analyses on their respective topics, from labor mobility responses to vaccine hesitancy, job insecurity, regional resilience, and more. This issue underscores the importance of regional science in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by the pandemic and formulating effective, location-specific strategies to mitigate its impacts.

Content uploaded by Sebastien Bourdin

Content may be subject to copyright.

Beyond the almost universal dimension of the crisis, it soon appeared that all the places

were nor identically hit. Instead, it appeared soon that some regions were most severely

touched than others. By the way, the virus exploited globalization forces to spread to the

densest and economically integrated metropolitan areas (Jeanne et al., 2022). In the networks

of the most globalized cities, this is referred to as topological diffusion, also known as reticular

diffusion. Thus, the virus exploited mobility networks at the heart of our economic

development and tourism and thrived in the densest, most productive, and socially intense

spaces. Short after China, Northern Italy was the first European region to be particularly

affected by the virus. This result is not surprising and draw attention on the role of local context

and regional characteristics in the spreading of the virus. Indeed, the Milan-Malpensa airport

is a significant freight airport with direct access to China and is also directly connected to China

via new Silk Roads. These connections could explain why Lombardy was hit first, whereas

Southern Italy, much further away from globalization, has been somewhat shielded. However,

places where COVID-19 soon emerged and rapidly spread in Europe are not only based on

metropolitan logic (ESPON, 2021). The virus also found favorable development conditions in

other places, and the unexpected second phase was characterized by new spreading

mechanisms, giving another shape to the geography resulting from the initial phase.

Because it affected people and places differently, COVID-19 rapidly inspired social

science research (Aristovnik et al., 2020). While individuals' characteristics and lifestyles were

of interest to researchers from the beginning of the pandemic, it took only a few months for

spatial differentiation to emerge as an autonomous field of investigation. The data regularly

published by the national health ministries and offices integrated into research projects help

showing that the territories were not equal in the face of the disease. Instead, some had

characteristics and had adopted health policies that made them more resilient (or vulnerable)

than others (Franch-Pardo et al., 2020; Denslow et al., 2022). Working papers, online

publications, and scientific journals quickly became interested in this subject. In the spring of

2020, a new field of geographical economics was born, now known as the 'geography of Covid.'

(Hass, Jokar Arsanjani, 2021; Bourdin et al. 2023). This interdisciplinary approach investigates

the spatial patterns, distribution, and interconnectedness of COVID-19 cases, analyzing the role

of geography in shaping the spread and impact of the virus. It led to different set of research.

First, noticing the local disparities in the prevalence of the disease and mortality rates,

scholars employed spatial analysis techniques to map and understand the geographic

distribution of COVID-19 cases, identifying hotspots, and examining factors contributing to

their emergence (Amdaoud et al., 2021a, b; Bourdin et al., 2021), following the example of

previous work in health geography (Curtis & Riva, 2010; Pak et al., 2020). Questions arose

regarding the influence of population density, urban-rural divide, and spatial inequalities in

healthcare accessibility. The literature indicates that high population density in urban areas,

along with disparities in healthcare access between urban and rural regions, and spatial

inequalities in healthcare accessibility, play significant roles in facilitating the spread of COVID-

19, leading to higher infection rates and poorer health outcomes in certain populations

(Boterman, 2020; Ettensperger, 2021, Roy and Kar, 2022).

Secondly, a large set of research exploring the relationship between COVID-19 and

socioeconomic factors also emerged. These studies sought to examines how living standards

and conditions influence vulnerability, exposure, and resilience to the virus. They have shown

that individuals with lower income, less education, and precarious housing conditions have

been more vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19, experiencing higher rates of

infection and mortality (Blundell et al., 2020). Additionally, following Curci et al. (212) results,

they also showed that occupation played a significant role, with essential workers facing

increased exposure to the virus, while those in higher-status professions were often more

resilient due to the ability to work remotely and access better healthcare resources (Collins et

al., 2020).

Third, the geography of Covid also considered the responsibility of mobility and

transportation, studying the role of transportation networks, commuting patterns, and human

mobility in facilitating transmission. They sought exploring the effectiveness of travel

restrictions, the impact of public transportation, and the role of mobility in predicting future

outbreaks. They brought evidence about the effectiveness of travel restrictions, when

implemented early and rigorously whereas public transportation, particularly in densely

populated urban areas, has been identified as a potential hotspot for virus transmission,

highlighting the need for stringent safety measures and reduced capacity (Parino et al. 2021).

Furthermore, mobility patterns have been useful in predicting and monitoring future

outbreaks (van der Drift et al., 2022), with increased movement and travel correlating with

higher infection rates, emphasizing the importance of considering mobility in public health

strategies (Shortall et al., 2022).

Finally, analyzing the spatial distribution of healthcare facilities, geographers investigated

the capacity and accessibility of medical resources during the pandemic questioning the

adequacy of healthcare infrastructure, the allocation of resources, and the spatial variations in

healthcare outcomes (Cos et al., 2020). Research has shown that areas with a higher

concentration of healthcare facilities tend to have better access to testing, treatment, and

healthcare resources, leading to lower disease transmission rates and reduced mortality.

Conversely, areas with limited or unequal distribution of healthcare facilities often experience

higher rates of disease and mortality, as individuals may face barriers in accessing timely and

adequate healthcare services.

All the fields of research previously mentioned show that the COVID-19 pandemic has

had major consequences on the citizen life, policy makers and researchers. It impacted the

national and regional economies, the labor markets, and the societal structures. It also induced

new research questions quickly tackled by scholars. This special issue of the International

Regional Science Review aims to explore the geography of COVID-19 by examining its various

dimensions across different regions and countries. The articles included in this issue are

organized into three thematic sections: (1) regional economic dynamics and labor markets, (2)

public health responses and vaccination policies, and (3) social and demographic

vulnerabilities.

The first section examines the regional economic dynamics and labor markets affected

by the pandemic. The opening article, “Rekindling New Economic Geography in times of

COVID-19: Labor mobility responses to health shocks in Central and North America” by Adolfo

Cristóbal Campoamor and Ernesto Rodríguez-Crespo (2023, in this issue), rekindles New

Economic Geography in the context of COVID-19, investigating how the pandemic has

influenced labor mobility in Central and North America. The author proposes that the health

crisis may lead to a concentration of population and industry in Mexico, with potential positive

effects on real wages in the region. The research “The evolution of job insecurity in spatial

contexts in Europe during COVID-19 pandemic” proposed by Bogdan Constantin Ibanescu,

Alexandra Gheorghiu, Mioara Cristea and Gabriela Pascariu (2023, in this issue) analyzes the

evolution of job insecurity in Europe during the pandemic. By examining spatial, economic, and

demographic factors across several countries, the study highlights the impact of regional

characteristics on job insecurity perceptions and the importance of addressing these

disparities.

To complete the analysis of the spatial kinetics of the virus, and because health policies

strongly influenced it, the second section focuses on public health responses and vaccination

policies in the context of the pandemic. The article “Regional Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine

Hesitancy: The Moderating Role of Social Distancing and Vaccine Rollout in the U.S.” authored

by Jung Ho Park (2023, in this issue) examines regional disparities in vaccine hesitancy in the

United States and how social distancing measures and vaccine rollout conditions affect

individuals' willingness to get vaccinated. The study identifies vulnerable subpopulations that

may require targeted intervention to reduce vaccine hesitancy and promote vaccination

uptake. Scholars and policy makers also observed soon that, fighting against Covid required

policies adapted to the local context. This point is documented by Francesco Scotti, Andrea

Flori, Giovanni Bonaccorsi, and Fabio Pammolli in their paper “Do we learn from errors? The

economic impact of differentiated policy restrictions in Italy” (2023, in this issue). They assess

the economic impact of differentiated policy restrictions in Italy, demonstrating how the

implementation of tiered policies produced varying welfare losses across sectors and regions.

The findings underline the importance of accounting for local socioeconomic factors when

designing tailored restrictions and support the idea that place-based policies increase the

effectiveness of public action.

The third section of this special issue addresses social and demographic vulnerabilities

related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Igor Santos Tupy, Fernanda Faria Silva, Gustavo Campolina

Figueiredo Diniz, Rosa Livia Montenegro, Alexandre de Queiroz de Queiroz Stein, and Diogo

Ferraz (2023, in this issue) in their paper “Resilient regions in Brazil: unfolding the effects of

COVID-19 from a socioeconomic perspective” explore the concept of resilient regions in Brazil,

focusing on the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19 and the effectiveness of various isolation

measures and financial aid policies. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers in

developing countries struggling with the trade-offs between public health and economic

stability. Ana Sofia Lopes and Ana Sargento research “Regional Heterogeneity in the Individual

Unemployment Vulnerability after COVID-19 outset” (2023, in this issue) investigates regional

heterogeneity in individual unemployment vulnerability following the onset of COVID-19

focusing on the Portuguese case. By examining personal, job, and regional dimensions, the

paper emphasizes the significance of regional factors in understanding the pandemic's impact

on employment. Finally, the article by “Learning about the incidence and lethality of COVID-19

in vulnerable neighborhoods: The case of Malaga (Spain)” by Carmen Garcia-Peña, Julian

Molina and José Damian Ruiz Sinoga (2023, in this issue) explores the incidence and lethality

of COVID-19 in vulnerable neighborhoods in Malaga, Spain. The study emphasizes the need for

granular analyses at the neighborhood level to understand the factors contributing to COVID-

19 infection and mortality rates. They confirm the existence of hot spots and the role of

demographic and socioeconomic conditions in the concentration of the number of cases

observed.

Collectively, the papers collected in this Special Issue contribute to a deeper

understanding of the geography of COVID-19 and highlight the importance of regional science

in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by the pandemic. They provide a step forward

for academic research and public policy. For policy makers the set of results presented argue

in favor of place-based policies even in presence of a global shock such as a pandemic and, in

such a case, also invite local governments and administrations to go beyond the field of public

health to consider socio-economic consequences. From an academic perspective, a lot remains

to be done to understand better how local policy answered to the spatial inequalities

exacerbated and created by Covid. One promising direction could consist in mixing quantitative

and qualitative methods to shed some light not only on statistical regularities but also on

idiosyncratic behaviors correlated with people's perceptions which, in turn, can determine

regional dynamics of COVID-19 and local resilience.

Anticipating future crises and preparing for them is becoming an essential aspect of

regional science. Long ago, several authors were advocating for an approach to crises through

regional science (Bailly and Coffey, 1994; Rees, 1999) and Martin (2021) confirms the

importance of approaching this object of study of crises in a context where they are likely to

multiply. In this context, a crucial area of focus should be predictive modeling and forecasting.

Sophisticated models that can predict the impact of diverse crises such as climate change,

pandemics, economic upheavals, and political instability at the regional level are more

necessary than ever. In light of this, crisis management and resilience should also be a central

part of regional science research (Caro and Fratesi, 2018). Understanding how different regions

can better prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises and investigating the factors

contributing to regional resilience are key areas for further exploration. Lastly, addressing

regional inequality, a fundamental issue exacerbated by crises, should also be a priority.

Research should explore what drives regional disparities in crisis impacts and recovery and

propose strategies to address these inequalities. This combined approach can provide a robust

framework for regional science to play a critical role in navigating through the increasingly

turbulent times ahead.

REFERENCES

Amdaoud, M., Arcuri, G., & Levratto, N. (2021). Are regions equal in adversity? A spatial analysis

of spread and dynamics of COVID-19 in Europe. The European Journal of Health Economics,

22(4), 629-642.

Amdaoud, M., Arcuri, G., & Levratto, N. (2021b). Healthcare system and social trust in the fight

against COVID-19COVID-19 : The case of France. European Journal of Public Health, 31(4),

895‑900.

Aristovnik, A., Ravšelj, D., & Umek, L. (2020). A bibliometric analysis of COVID-19COVID-19

across science and social science research landscape. Sustainability, 12(21), 9132.

Bailly, A. S., & Coffey, W. J. (1994). Regional science in crisis: A plea for more open and relevant

approach. Papers in Regional Science, 73(1), 3-14.

Blundell, R., Dias, M. C., Joyce, R., & Xu, X. (2020). COVID-19COVID-19 and Inequalities. Fiscal

Studies, 41(2), 291-319.

Boterman, W.R. (2020) Urban-Rural Polarisation in Times of the Corona Outbreak? The Early

Demographic and Geographic Patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic in the Netherlands.

Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 111 (3): 513-529.

Bourdin, S., Moodie, J., Sanchez Gassen, N., Evers, D., Adobati, F., Amdaoud, M., Arcuri, G.,

Casti, E., Cottereau, V., Eva, E., Hajnalka, L., Iațu, C., Ibănescu, B., Jean-Pierre, P., Levratto, N.,

Löfving, L., Coll-Martinez, E., Psycharis, Y., Salenius, V., Zsuzsa, R. (2023) Covid19 as a systemic

shock: curb or catalyst for proactive policies towards territorial cohesion?. Working paper.

Collins, C., Landivar, L. C., Ruppanner, L., & Scarborough, W. J. (2020) COVID-19COVID-19 and

the gender gap in work hours. Gender, Work & Organization, 28, 101-112.

Cos, O. D., Castillo, V., & Cantarero, D. (2020) Facing a Second Wave from a Regional View:

Spatial Patterns of COVID-19COVID-19 as a Key Determinant for Public Health and

Geoprevention Plans. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,

17(22), 8468.

Cristóbal Campoamor, A., & Rodríguez-Crespo, E. (2022). Rekindling New Economic Geography

in times of COVID-19: Labor mobility responses to health shocks in Central and North America.

International Regional Science Review, 01600176221116565.

Curci, F., Rani, U., & Richiardi, P. S. (2012). Employment, job quality and social implications of

the global crisis. World of Work Report, 2012(1), 1-34.

Curtis, S., & Riva, M. (2010). Health geographies I: complexity theory and human health.

Progress in Human Geography, 34(2), 215-223.

Denslow, S., Wingert, J. R., Hanchate, A. D., Rote, A., Westreich, D., Sexton, L., ... & Halladay, J.

R. (2022). Rural-urban outcome differences associated with COVID-19COVID-19

hospitalizations in North Carolina. Plos one, 17(8), e0271755.

Di Caro, P., & Fratesi, U. (2018). Regional determinants of economic resilience. The Annals of

Regional Science, 60, 235-240.

ESPON. (2021). Geography of COVID-19COVID-19 outbreak and first policy answers in

European regions and cities. Final Report, ESPON, Luxembourg.

Ettensperger, F. (2021) The Relationship Between Poverty and COVID-19COVID-19 Infection

and Case-Fatality Rates in Germany during the First Wave of the Pandemic. Statistics, Politics

and Policy, 12(2): 299-321.

Franch-Pardo, I., Napoletano, B. M., Rosete-Verges, F., & Billa, L. (2020). Spatial analysis and

GIS in the study of COVID-19COVID-19. A review. Science of the total environment, 739,

140033.

García-Peña, C., Molina, J., & Ruiz Sinoga, J. D. (2023). Learning About the Incidence and

Lethality of COVID-19 in Vulnerable Neighborhoods: The Case of Malaga (Spain). International

Regional Science Review, 01600176221145879.

Hass, FS., Jokar Arsanjani, J. (2021) The Geography of the Covid-19COVID-19 Pandemic: A Data-

Driven Approach to Exploring Geographical Driving Forces. International Journal of

Environmental Research and Public Health. 10;18(6):2803.

Ibanescu, B. C., Gheorghiu, A., Cristea, M., Pascariu, G. C., Team, P., & Leander, N. P. (2022).

The evolution of job insecurity in spatial contexts in Europe during COVID-19 pandemic.

International Regional Science Review.

Lopes, A. S., & Sargento, A. (2023). Regional Heterogeneity in the Individual Unemployment

Vulnerability After COVID-19 Outset. International Regional Science Review,

01600176231160486.

Martin, R. (2021). Rebuilding the economy from the Covid crisis: time to rethink regional

studies?. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 8(1), 143-161.

Parino, F., Zino, L., Porfiri, M., Rizzo, A. (2021) Modelling and predicting the effect of social

distancing and travel restrictions on COVID-19COVID-19 spreading. Journal of the Royal Society

Interface, 18(175).

Pak, S. I., Lee, G., Sin, M., Park, H., & Park, J. (2020). Identifying High-risk Areas of Foot-and-

mouth Disease Outbreak Using a Spatiotemporal Score Statistic: A Case of South Korea.

International Regional Science Review, 43(5), 477-500.

Park, J. (2022). Regional Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: The Moderating Role of

Social Distancing and Vaccine Rollout in the US. International Regional Science Review,

01600176221132231.

Rees, J. (1999). Regional science: From crisis to opportunity 1. Papers in Regional Science,

78(1), 101-110.

Roy, A., Kar, B. (2022) A multicriteria decision analysis framework to measure equitable

healthcare access during COVID-19COVID-19. Journal of Transport & Health, 24,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2022.101331.

Scotti, F., Flori, A., Bonaccorsi, G., & Pammolli, F. (2023). Do We Learn From Errors? The

Economic Impact of Differentiated Policy Restrictions in Italy. International Regional Science

Review, 01600176231168027.

Shortall, R., Mouter, N., Van Wee, B. (2022) COVID-19COVID-19 passenger transport measures

and their impacts, Transport Reviews, 42:4, 441-466

Tupy, I. S., Silva, F. F., Diniz, G. F. C., Montenegro, R. L., de Queiroz Stein, A., & Ferraz, D. (2022).

Resilient Regions in Brazil: Unfolding the Effects of COVID-19 From a Socioeconomic

Perspective. International Regional Science Review, 01600176221145878.

van der Drift, S., Wismans, L., Olde Kalter, M-J. (2022) Changing mobility patterns in the

Netherlands during COVID-19COVID-19 outbreak. Journal of Location Based Services, 16:1, 1-

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research,

authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of

this article.

ORCID iDs

Sébastien Bourdin https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7669-705X

Nadine Levratto https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4928-8549

Determinants of agricultural employment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A spatial analysis of Brazilian municipalities

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2025
PLOS ONE

The impact of COVID-19 has extended beyond the health toll it has taken on populations. The global economy has experienced significant downturns, with unemployment rates reaching unprecedented highs for this century. Nonetheless, the agricultural sector has been uniquely affected by the pandemic, particularly given its crucial role in food supply. This study sought to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural employment in Brazilian municipalities. To achieve this, we employed a dataset spanning the period before and during the pandemic (2018–2021). Spatial econometrics was utilized to identify potential spatial factors linked to this occurrence. Notably, the findings reveal that the transfer policies implemented by the Brazilian Federal Government have had a positive impact on agricultural employment in Brazilian municipalities, challenging the common assumption that such measures might discourage job-seeking efforts. Moreover, the results suggest that the agricultural sector has managed to absorb individuals displaced from other sectors of the economy, demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of economic challenges.

Provocări geografice pentru un viitor durabil

Book

Full-text available

Nov 2024

Prezentul volum reflectă comunicările prezentate în cadrul simpozionului omonim, desfășurat în 12 octombrie 2023, sub patronajul Zilelor Academice Ieșene, și dezbaterile care s-au succedat asupra unor provocări geografice de actualitate. Având ca laitmotiv durabilitatea, termen bine ancorat în limbajul științific contemporan, vag delimitat și suficient de mult instrumentat în plan politic, această manifestare a prilejuit împărtășirea unor eforturi de cercetare din diverse perspective, inclusiv interdisciplinare. Reunind deopotrivă reflecții teoretice asupra unor dileme care alimentează incertitudini legate de viitorul raporturilor dintre societate și mediu, dar și analize detaliate ale unor componente esențiale pentru asigurarea unui echilibru între progresul inerent și capacitatea sistemului terestru de a face față provocărilor induse de acesta, a constituit suportul unui volum care și-a propus, în primul rând, să evidențieze câteva dintre preocupările contemporane în domeniul geoștiințelor. Geografia actuală se remarcă în primul rând prin diversitatea curentelor, ramurilor, abordărilor, metodelor și mijloacelor vehiculate de cei care o practică. Sentimentul de proliferare a unor noi „geografii” dezorientează, disciplina fiind astăzi departe de clișeul tradițional fondat pe desuetul plan în „sertare” (relief, climat, …populație, activități economice etc.). Este indusă astfel o provocare majoră, aceea a justificării geograficității, văzută de mulți ca un „construct social în care conceptele de spațiu, peisaj, loc, percepție a spațiului, spațiu material, spațiu conceput sau trăit împletesc relația dialectică dintre manifestările obiective și subiective ale realității” (Botello-Mares, 2024) . Terenul fertil asigurat de utilizarea mijloacelor avansate de procesare a informației (cât de curând, cu largul concurs al „inteligenței artificiale”) face ca aproape orice arie de interes practic sau științific să aibă conținut geografic, ceea ce constituie în sine o imensă provocare. Fascinația pentru Sistemele Informaționale Geografice, a căror stăpânire a devenit pentru unii testul suprem al meseriei de geograf, lasă însă un gol imens, dincolo de oportunitățile pe care, indubitabil, le asigură. Compatibilizarea informațiilor geografice cu sistemele informaționale nu este perfectă (poate fi lesne manipulată), funcțiile de analiză încă nu sunt suficient de cuprinzătoare dacă operatorul are o stăpânire precară a realității geografice (locuri, teritorii, dinamici, interferențe etc.), iar rezultatele cercetărilor nu prezintă totdeauna un interes practic, orientat spre societate și necesitățile acesteia (Lü et al., 2018) . Acest gol ar putea fi umplut prin adaptarea planurilor de cercetare la teoriile actuale și la tehnicile de bază care pot urmări fluxul de procesare a informației geografice, modelarea acesteia sub forma unor scenarii, pentru a realiza o reală analiză sistemică a proceselor geografice, orientată mai mult spre viitor. Mai pe scurt spus, mai multă capacitate de predicție și previziune, mai puțină diagnoză, aceasta din urmă fiind subsumată activității de cercetare și nu unui obiectiv în sine. Ușor de exprimat în cuvinte, dar dificil de pus în practică chiar și cu concursul sofisticatelor unelte care, deseori, aruncă cercetătorul în ceața nenumăratelor opinii, sintetizate în meta-analize laborioase. A găsi nișa care deschide calea spre adevărul geografic este, așadar, o altă imensă provocare. Încă din 1993, Sayer evidenția capcanele revoluției induse în geografie de postmodernism: trecerea de la fundamental și obiectiv la ideal și relativ; pasajul de la narațiunile și discursurile holistice, generale, la cele orientate spre particular; renunțarea la etnocentrism în favoarea relativismului cultural. Adevărul devine, astfel, relativ, o pură chestiune de convenție sau putere, fără nicio legătură cu reprezentarea unei realități externe observatorului. În acest mod s-a ajuns ca în loc de paradigme să avem discursuri, în locul criticii constructive să primim observații neutre, în locul originalității și creativității să promovăm șablonul care, frecvent, torpilează progresul științific. Contextul postmodern (și post-adevăr) implică în acest mod o selecție arbitrară a valorilor, un primat absolut al unor etaloane conjuncturale și o restrângere a posibilităților de dezvoltare profesională. Ceea ce devine, trebuie să recunoaștem, o provocare existențială. Pe care geografia, nu are cum să o ignore dacă ne raportăm la manifestarea acesteia ca un set de practici deconectate, dispersate global, în care dihotomia clasică fizic-uman se manifestă mai degrabă ca un zid, decât ca o interfață care unifică viziunile asupra spațiului geografic și conceptelor derivate – regiune, teritoriu ș.a. Emancipată de multă vreme de concepția potrivit căreia timpul universal este exterior societăților, geografia și-a asumat temporalitatea, alături de spațialitate, cu accent pe dimensiunea socială a timpului. Timpul lung, văzut mai degrabă ca un apanaj al geografiei fizice, marcat de reminiscențele fenomenelor și proceselor trecute, de invarianța, inerția sau reziliența pe care acestea le probează, de limitele și discontinuitățile create, obligă geografia să accepte „istoricitatea” obiectului său de studiu . Includerea timpului în analiza sistemică a spațiului geografic nu este totdeauna facilă, constituind de multe ori o provocare pentru observator. Cum înțelegem echilibrul sistemic, ce este semnificativ pentru exprimarea stabilității componentelor geosistemului, cum percepem și cum definim vulnerabilitatea (incluzând riscul și catastrofele) și reziliența acestora, sunt tot atâtea chestiuni care cer un răspuns în care spațiul și timpul se întrepătrund. Difuziunea spațială a proceselor și fenomenelor geografice implică manifestarea unor faze, praguri, limite, depistarea cărora este de multe ori o altă provocare, date fiind tranzițiile, reminiscențele, inovațiile care pot perturba ceea ce poate fi perceput ca o evoluție liniară, la diverse scări de analiză. Memoria locurilor devine, astfel, extrem de importantă, pentru că poate permite înțelegerea distribuțiilor și structurilor spațiale, implicând o bună cunoaștere a trecutului (geologic, istoric) care nu poate fi suplinită complet de accesul aproape instantaneu la sintezele furnizate de diverse motoare de căutare, insuficient validate și oferind deseori o viziune unilaterală, trunchiată ori de-a dreptul tendențioasă. Viitorul durabil, definit de cele mai multe ori într-o viziune îngustă, eco-logică , este o noțiune mult mai complexă care, dincolo de conexiunile sigure cu principiile dezvoltării durabile, presupune și multă incertitudine. Aceasta derivă din provocările pe care le întâmpină societatea în disocierea elementelor care asigură durabilitate sistemică, limitează vulnerabilitățile și favorizează reziliența. Societate care, cu toate progresele vizibile, este masiv orientată spre consum, risipă, iresponsabilitate și cinism, adâncindu-se într-o criză multiplă din care, aparent, nu pare să aibă scăpare. Dar, orice criză implică și nenumărate oportunități, fiind încă posibilă construirea unei lumi durabile prin utilizarea potențialului oferit de noua paradigmă socio-economică care pare să prindă contur, grăbită de convulsiile induse de recenta pandemie . Reducerea inegalităților, a disparităților de orice fel, poate fi una din cheile orientării pe făgașul unui viitor durabil. Deocamdată, suntem în plin conflict mondial, resimțit doar de o mică parte dintre cetățenii globali, dar care afectează subtil existența tuturor. În acest context, geografia își poate demonstra utilitatea prin identificarea acelor tipare de evoluție care asigură stabilitate, echilibru sistemic, deschidere spre inovare și capacitate de adaptare la diverse scări de analiză spațială. Cele opt contribuții care au fost reținute pentru acest volum sunt relativ eterogene din perspectiva tematicii, gradului de aprofundare teoretică și a scării de studiu. Organizarea lor într-o structură coerentă a constituit, așadar, o provocare. Au fost separate lucrările care propun o fixare mai amplă a problematicii abordate de cele care se limitează, mai degrabă, la analiza empirică a unor fenomene sau procese. S-au obținut două părți distincte, egale, în care predomină materialele care ilustrează provocările geografiei umane contemporane. Într-o primă parte, care include abordările conceptual-empirice, sunt grupate patru capitole. Primul dintre ele cuprinde un material amplu care prezintă provocările administrării teritoriului în România, în contextul transformărilor complexe care marchează Uniunea Europeană, pe fondul reducerii rolului statului, a descentralizării și a atenției deosebite acordate calității guvernării. În contextul discuțiilor care se duc în spațiul public referitor la necesitatea unei reforme admi-nistrativ-teritorial, această sinteză este mai mult decât binevenită. Următoarele două capitole ale primei părți abordează orașul care, prin complexitatea și puternica sa capacitate de transformare a spațiului geografic, a devenit un obiect de studiu predilect. Analiza teoretic-conceptuală a unor sintagme precum orașul inteligent sau orașul post-socialist, ilustrată de studii de caz la nivel regional, evidențiază mutațiile pe care le suportă sistemele urbane din centrul și estul Europei ca urmare a eforturilor de adaptare la provocările lumii contemporane, marcate de competitivitate, creativitate și inovare. Ultimul capitol din prima parte prezintă una dintre imensele provocări spe-cifice societății contemporane, poluarea cu materiale plastice, având ca studiu de caz municipiul Iași. Insistă, în primul rând, asupra unor metode avansate de analiză cantitativă bazate pe observații recente. A doua parte a volumului este deschisă de un material care propune carto-grafierea digitală a parametrilor climatici și de teren care condiționează performanța culturilor agricole în România. Ilustrând modificările profunde induse de schimbările climatice globale, analiza cartografică propune o nouă viziune asupra adaptării durabile a unor activități vitale la provocările actuale. Disparitățile induse de digitalizarea instituțiilor locale din România constituie subiectul unui alt capitol, care evidențiază limitele și barierele care accentuează inegalitățile de dezvoltare din perspectiva asigurării unei guvernanțe bazate pe cetățean. Volumul continuă cu prezentarea disparităților induse de altă componentă esențială pentru progresul societății, sistemul educațional, din perspectiva performanței școlare. Având ca suport informațiile referitoare la rezultatele obținute de absolvenții de liceu la bacalaureat pentru un interval de nouă ani, analiza relevă manifestarea unor profunde inegalități social-economice, care constituie în sine o provocare majoră. Volumul se încheie cu un eseu referitor la rolul migrației contemporane în reconsiderarea identității etnice, pe fondul provocărilor induse de căderea în desuetudine a statului național și ascensiunea ideologiilor multiculturaliste având ca spațiu de referință continentul european. Problematică extrem de sensibilă, generatoare de schimbări politice majore la nivel continental, aceasta constituie una dintre marile provocări actuale. Departe de a fi epuizat lista sfidărilor pe care trebuie să le înfrunte societatea contemporană pentru a asigura un viitor durabil, volumul propune o bază de plecare pentru noi și noi reflecții asupra unor teme care ilustrează permanenta necesitate de adaptare la transformările structurilor geosistemice. Adresându-se deopotrivă specialiștilor și publicului larg, volumul se integrează în eforturile de înțelegere a perspectivelor pe care le deschide tranziția spre o societate bazată pe utilizarea inteligenței artificiale.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Waves on Maternal Health and Infant Outcomes—A Retrospective Cohort Study

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2024

The initial presentation of COVID-19 to the world left many in the medical community perplexed about its true nature and potential impact on individuals. Many investigations into the pathology of the virus resulted from this; however, studies were limited in the obstetric community, especially in high-risk communities. Each pandemic wave (Alpha, Delta, Omicron) had different transmission rates and inflicted different COVID-19 severity levels among those infected. This study aimed to determine if the effects of COVID-19 on maternal and infant outcomes varied by pandemic waves. This is an observational cohort study utilizing women enrolled in a COVID-19 pregnancy study. A review of 374 electronic medical records of women who received care at the University of Mississippi Medical Center after testing positive for SARS-CoV2 was conducted. During the Alpha pandemic wave, women contracted COVID-19 significantly earlier in pregnancy; however, higher rates of COVID-19 infection occurred during the Omicron pandemic wave. During the Delta pandemic wave, more women were morbidly obese and were likely to deliver significantly earlier, and, when compared to infants born during the Omicron pandemic wave, the infants born during the Delta wave weighed significantly less. The effects of COVID-19 on high-risk pregnant patients may deviate from previous reports, indicating a need for further investigation of the biological and social factors that may lead to these differences. Studies into the effects of COVID-19 in pregnancy remain limited and this study provides valuable insight into how varying COVID-19 strains affected a high-risk obstetric community.

Potential Impact of COVID-19 on Medical Career Aspirations of Prospective Students

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2024

This article describes the evolving landscape of medical education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the renewed importance of public health, mental well-being, and career choices among medical students. The pandemic has prompted a significant shift in medical student’s career aspirations, highlighting the need for mental health support mechanisms within the medical education framework. Medical students’ career choices are influenced directly and indirectly by the challenges and experiences of the pandemic era, which are discussed in this article under four key themes: traditional values, global health interests and disparities, developing trends, and digital healthcare. There is an urgent need to adjust medical training to the new reality and share the future directions of the medical education landscape by embracing diverse career paths in medicine, integrating technology into medical training, adapting to the changing context of medicine, and strengthening collaboration and communication. The pandemic underscores the importance of evidence-based patient care, necessitating the preparation of tomorrow’s doctors to address the emerging healthcare challenges with resilience, adaptability, and a comprehensive understanding of both local and global health challenges.

Pandemetrics: modelling pandemic impacts in space

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2023

The special issue has two objectives. First, it aims to improve our understanding of the impacts of pandemics and public policy responses, especially their economic impact across different sectors and geographical space. Second, it showcases how various spatial analysis tools and modelling techniques can be employed for an evidence-based impact assessment. This special issue features sixteen contributions, each of which addresses a specific type of economic and social impact of the pandemic in a country, a region, or a city.

How is Labour Demand Changing Across European Regions in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Article

Mar 2025

The aim of this article is to propose a new general methodology to measure job polarization and empirically analyses the degree of polarization from the demand side of the European Union market at regional level during the post COVID-19 period. Unlike most studies that examine polarization from the supply side, typically measured by shifts in employment shares across the occupational skill spectrum, focusing on the simultaneous growth of high-skill and low-skill jobs, this research approaches polarization from the unmet demand side. Methodologically, we applied Self-Organizing Maps for clustering and Generalized Joint Regression models, which offered considerable flexibility in modeling labor market polarization, while also addressing issues of sample selection and covariate endogeneity. This methodological framework naturally provides a new model-based index of polarization. Empirically, we analyzed institutional EU data from Cedefop, which includes job advertisements posted on online portals across the EU, categorized by region and main (ESCO) occupational groups. Conducting this analysis at the regional level in the post-pandemic period addresses significant gaps in the literature. Empirical findings highlight several pressing issues in the European labor market post-pandemic, including strong labour demand polarization, high-skill occupation saturation and educational mismatches (overqualification), particularly affecting women. To our knowledge, this is the first study to focus on job polarization from the demand side, employing flexible models to jointly model polarization and the demand for specific occupations in term of main determinants at the regional level, while integrating regional data from the Labour Force Survey and online job advertisements from Cedefop data.

Confronti metropolitani. I Piani urbani integrati a Torino e Bari

Article

Oct 2024

Nonostante l’elevato livello di istituzionalizzazione, le Città metropolitane italiane non hanno ancora un ruolo rilevante nella programmazione della politica di coesione dell’Unione europea. Con il Recovery and Resilience Facility si è aperta un’opportunità per un loro maggiore coinvolgimento. Le Città metropolitane sono state chiamate a svolgere un ruolo di primo piano nelle sfide definite dal Piano nazionale di ripresa e resilienza, attraverso i Piani urbani integrati. Il contributo analizza i casi delle Città metropolitane di Torino e Bari, confrontando gli approcci intrapresi. In particolare, suggerisce come il differente utilizzo dello stesso strumento possa essere frutto del differente peso istituzionale che le due Città metropolitane hanno nel loro contesto.

Efectos contagio del Covid-19 a nivel espacial entre municipiosContagious Effects of Covid-19 at a Spatial Level between Municipalities: un ejercicio para Antioquia (Colombia) por medio de modelos de Econometría EspacialAn exercise for Antioquia (Colombia) through Spatial Econometrics models

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2024

This article quantifies the spatial diffusion capacity –spatial spillover effect– of the COVID-19 virus at municipal level for the department of Antioquia, Colombia, from the onset of its spread in 2020 until December 2021. To this end, error and spatial lag models were implemented to identify the pattern of infections and classify municipalities in terms of their diffusion capacity. The empirical results show a characteristic spatial pattern conditioned by the distribution of economic activity. There is also evidence indicating a reduction of about 83% in the average diffusion capacity of the virus associated with the vaccination process implemented in the department. The findings are valuable for informing public policies that encompass the geographic environment and are necessary for mitigating viruses and similar pandemic processes.

Rural-urban outcome differences associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2022
PLOS ONE

People living in rural regions in the United States face more health challenges than their non-rural counterparts which could put them at additional risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few studies have examined if rurality is associated with additional mortality risk among those hospitalized for COVID-19. We studied a retrospective cohort of 3,991 people hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infections discharged between March 1 and September 30, 2020 in one of 17 hospitals in North Carolina that collaborate as a clinical data research network. Patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms and laboratory data were examined. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of rurality with a composite outcome of death/hospice discharge. Comorbidities were more common in the rural patient population as were the number of comorbidities per patient. Overall, 505 patients died prior to discharge and 63 patients were discharged to hospice. Among rural patients, 16.5% died or were discharged to hospice vs. 13.3% in the urban cohort resulting in greater odds of death/hospice discharge (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1, 1.6). This estimate decreased minimally when adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, payer, disease comorbidities, presenting oxygen levels and cytokine levels (adjusted model OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0, 1.5). This analysis demonstrated a higher COVID-19 mortality risk among rural residents of NC. Implementing policy changes may mitigate such disparities going forward.

Rekindling New Economic Geography in Times of COVID-19: Labor Mobility Responses to Health Shocks in Central and North America

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2022
INT REGIONAL SCI REV

This paper evaluates the potential responses of international labor mobility to the recent COVID-19 health shocks, using a New Economic Geography model inspired by recent events in Central and North America. The model suggests that the restraining impact of COVID-19 on migratory flows may retain potential emigrants in Mexico and Central America, enlarge the home market in the region, attract foreign and local businesses, and increase real wages. Moreover, this prediction unveils opportunities for the future from the opening of new, regular migratory pathways between Central America and Mexico. These would concentrate population and industry in Mexico, raise the market potential in the area and boost real wages in Mexico – and possibly in Central America as well – despite the partial deindustrialization of the Central American hinterland.

Economic globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic: global spread and inequalities

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2022
GeoJournal

In just a few weeks, COVID-19 has become a global crisis and there is no longer any question of it being a major pandemic. The spread of the disease and the speed of transmission need to be squared with the forms and characteristics of economic globalization, disparities in development between the world's different regions and the highly divergent degree of their interconnectedness. Combining a geographic approach based on mapping the global spread of the virus with the collection of data and socioeconomic variables, we drew up an OLS model to understand how the virus spread across the globe and how it can be explained. Globalization and the geography of economic relations were the main drivers of the spatial structuring and speed of the international spread of the COVID-19. Therefore the COVID-19 pandemic is a health counterpart of globalization.

A multicriteria decision analysis framework to measure equitable healthcare access during COVID-19

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2022

The ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the need for individuals to have easy access to healthcare facilities for treatment as well as vaccinations. The surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations during 2020 also underscored the fact that accessibility to nearby hospitals for testing and treatment and vaccination sites is crucial for patients with fever or respiratory symptoms. Although necessary, quantifying healthcare access is challenging as it depends on a complex interaction between underlying socioeconomic and physical factors. In this case study, we deployed a Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach to uncover the barriers and their effect on healthcare access using an accessibility index. Using the least cost path (LCP) analysis we quantified the cost associated with healthcare access from each census block group in the Los Angeles metropolitan area (LA Metro) to the nearest hospital. Social vulnerability reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the daily number of COVID-19 cases from the Los Angeles open data portal and built environment characteristics (slope of the street, car ownership, population density distribution, walkability, traffic collision density, and speed limit) were used to quantify accessibility. Our results showed that the census block groups with a social vulnerability index above 0.75 (high vulnerability) had low accessibility owing to the higher cost of access to nearby hospitals and were also coincident with the hotspots for COVID-19 cases and deaths. Our findings highlighted the inequitable exposure of socially disadvantaged populations to COVID-19 infections and how the pandemic impacts were exacerbated by the synergistic effect of socioeconomic status and built environment characteristics of the locations where the disadvantaged populations resided. The framework proposed herein could be adapted to geo-target testing/vaccination sites and improve accessibility to healthcare facilities in general and among the socially vulnerable populations to reduce the health risk.

COVID-19 passenger transport measures and their impacts

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2021

Governments all over the world have had to implement various policy measures in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, impacting many people's lives and livelihoods. Combinations of measures targeting the transportation sector and other aspects of social life have been implemented with varying degrees of success in different countries. This paper proposes a classification of COVID-19 measures aimed at passenger mobility. We distinguish the categories “avoidance of travel”, “modal shift” and “improvement of quality”. Per category, we distinguish different types of measures and effects (social, economic and environmental). Next, we review the literature on COVID-19 measures for passenger mobility, after which we discuss the policy relevance of our findings and propose a research agenda. We conclude that broad or integral assessments of measures on all socially relevant effects are rare. Also, few studies exist to determine the effects of individual measures and deal with combinations of measures instead. Studies on social or economic effects focus on partial direct effects (e.g. turnover of the transport sector, effect of mobility measures on commuter traffic) and do not elaborate on indirect effects (e.g. changes in household expenditure, stress levels). Finally, there is a greater focus in the literature on intermediary health indicators (e.g. travel behaviour) but less on the actual spread of COVID-19 or indeed on other indirect health effects of measures (e.g. due to air pollution, more exercise, etc).

COVID-19 as a systemic shock: curb or catalyst for proactive policies towards territorial cohesion?

Article

Sep 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic, originating as a health crisis but quickly expanding to other social spheres, had significant and asymmetric impacts across Europe, which potentially undermine territorial cohesion. Much has been written about the overall impact of the pandemic on the underlying thematic and budgetary focus of European Union-level policies with respect to territorial cohesion. However, it remains unclear to what extent policies implemented at regional and local levels in response to the crisis also contribute to territorial cohesion. To address this, we investigated the extent to which the pandemic constituted a ‘window of opportunity’ for developing innovative policies furthering territorial cohesion policy goals and objectives within member states, and assessed whether the crisis led to more collaborative, integrative and holistic policymaking. To this end, the research examined policy responses across 14 European regions by means of a mixed-method case study approach, including the analysis of relevant policy documents and over 100 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. We show that the pandemic led to the introduction of new short-term social policies to reduce socio-economic disparities produced by COVID-19 and accelerated the implementation of green and smart policies. Additionally, the crisis fostered greater collaboration between public authorities and key stakeholders, and between regional and municipal public authorities, although the long-term impact is uncertain. These findings could have policy implications for other crisis situations. Moreover, they suggest that territorial cohesion policies should be tailored to empower regions and local governments to use systemic shocks to draft and implement proactive social, economic and environmental policies.

Do We Learn From Errors? The Economic Impact of Differentiated Policy Restrictions in Italy

Article

Apr 2023
INT REGIONAL SCI REV

This paper investigates the economic impact of the three tiers risk framework implemented in Italy against the COVID-19 pandemic during the Autumn of 2020. Exploiting a large-scale dataset encompassing daily credit card transactions mediated by a large Italian bank, we estimate a set of panel event study models to disentangle the impact of restrictions with low, medium and high stringency levels in terms of consumption reduction. We show that space-time differentiated policies tend to produce stronger welfare losses for progressively more stringent restrictions in specific sectors targeted by these policies such as Retail and Restaurants. However, when we compare provinces implementing the same level of policy stringency, we show that territories with higher income per capita and larger concentration of manufacturing and service activities experience both significantly worse economic and epidemiological performances. Overall, our results suggest that policy makers should properly account for local socio-economic characteristics when designing tailored restrictions entailing an equal and homogeneous impact across territories.

Regional Heterogeneity in the Individual Unemployment Vulnerability After COVID-19 Outset

Article

Mar 2023
INT REGIONAL SCI REV

The COVID-19 crisis increased unemployment all over the World, with significant regional heterogeneity. This paper intends to analyze this territorial heterogeneity for the Portuguese case and investigate which regional factors complement personal and job characteristics in explaining individual vulnerability to COVID-19 unemployment. By considering personal, job and regional dimensions, we extended the literature and provided a more comprehensive understanding of this new phenomenon in the immediate and medium-term. Furthermore, this knowledge is essential to support policy suggestions for quick and effective action in preventing job losses in the current and future crises. Detailed information on all individuals that lost their jobs in Portugal 1 year after (and before) the COVID-19 outset was used to estimate three logit models that compare the odds of losing a job after and during the pandemic. Significant territorial heterogeneity of the COVID-19 impact on unemployment is obtained. Along with personal and job characteristics, we conclude that regional characteristics are essential for explaining individual vulnerabilities. In particular, workers are more prompted to lose their jobs if they live in regions with higher population densities, lower pre-crisis unemployment, and more dependable international flow. Conversely, individual and regional human capital investment contributes to protecting employment, revealing the existence of external effects.

Learning About the Incidence and Lethality of COVID-19 in Vulnerable Neighborhoods: The Case of Malaga (Spain)

Article

Jan 2023
INT REGIONAL SCI REV

This research delves into the need to use granular analyses at the neighborhood level to study the preexisting conditions of vulnerability that best explain the waves of COVID-19 incidence and mortality. It seems most appropriate to use the comprehensive approach of the sustainable development with variables that analyze the economic, social, environmental, and governance dimensions, given the extensive literature that identifies each as a determining factor for the impact of disease. The work utilizes a composite vulnerability index that allows the city of Malaga to be divided into 434 census sections; waves of incidence and mortality for each section are constructed for the period of March 2020 to March 2021. Cluster analysis reveals that there are five different cluster incidence patterns, whereas the lethality waves are found to behave as a hot-spot phenomenon. The results reveal that neighborhoods that are the most vulnerable in terms of their demographic conditions (large proportion over 65 years of age and dependent) and socioeconomic conditions (severe material deprivation), have been the most affected by COVID-19 infection and mortality.

Regional Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: The Moderating Role of Social Distancing and Vaccine Rollout in the U.S.

Article

Oct 2022
INT REGIONAL SCI REV

Jungho Park

This study examines the relationship between statewide contexts and individuals’ COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy by using the Household Pulse Survey, a national and near real-time data timely deployed by the U.S. Census Bureau. Controlling for the individual- and state-level variables in addition to temporal effect, this study finds that racial and ethnic minorities and COVID-19-infected people are more hesitant than their counterparts to receive a vaccine. Individuals who reside in a state where more stringent social distancing measures – particularly mask mandate – are implemented and vaccine rollout conditions are better appear to be less hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vulnerable subpopulation groups such as people of color and COVID-19-infected individuals are more hesitant to vaccine uptake even if regional circumstances are equal. These findings suggest that the continuation and extension of vaccine campaigns at the regional as well as individual levels are all important for expediting COVID-19 vaccination and reducing vaccine hesitancy as the world is in the middle of the third year of the pandemic.