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The Effect of Transborder Mobility on COVID-19 Incidences in Belgium

Author

Listed:
  • Febe Brackx

    (Spatial Applications Division, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Fien Vanongeval

    (Spatial Applications Division, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Yessika Adelwin Natalia

    (I-Biostat, Data Science Institute, Universiteit Hasselt, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium)

  • Geert Molenberghs

    (Spatial Applications Division, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
    I-Biostat, Data Science Institute, Universiteit Hasselt, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium)

  • Thérèse Steenberghen

    (Spatial Applications Division, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

Abstract

Belgium is a geographically small country bordered by The Netherlands, France, Germany, and Luxembourg, with intense transborder mobility, defined as mobility in the border regions with neighboring countries. It is therefore of interest to examine how the 14-day COVID-19 confirmed case incidence in the border regions is influenced by that of the adjacent regions in the neighboring countries and thus, whether and how it differs from that in the adjacent non-border regions within Belgium. To this end, the 14-day COVID-19 confirmed case incidence is studied at the level of Belgian provinces, well-defined border areas within Belgium, and adjacent regions in the neighboring countries. Auxiliary information encompasses work-related border traffic, travel rates, the proportion of people with a different nationality, the stringency index of the non-pharmaceutical interventions, and the degree of urbanization at the level of the municipality. Especially in transnational urbanized areas such as between the Belgian and Dutch provinces of Limburg and between the Belgian province of Antwerp and the Dutch province of North Brabant, the impact on incidence is visible, at least at some points in time, especially when the national incidences differ between neighboring countries. In contrast, the intra-Belgian language border regions show very little transborder impact on the incidence curves, except around the Brussels capital region, leading to various periods where the incidences are very different in the Dutch-speaking north and the French-speaking south of Belgium. Our findings suggest that while travel restrictions may be needed at some points during a pandemic, a more fine-grained approach than merely closing national borders may be considered. At the same time, in border regions with considerable transborder mobility, it is recommended to coordinate the non-pharmaceutical interventions between the authorities of the various countries overlapping with the border region. While this seems logical, there are clear counterexamples, e.g., where non-essential shops, restaurants, and bars are closed in one country but not in the neighboring country.

Suggested Citation

  • Febe Brackx & Fien Vanongeval & Yessika Adelwin Natalia & Geert Molenberghs & Thérèse Steenberghen, 2022. "The Effect of Transborder Mobility on COVID-19 Incidences in Belgium," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-25, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:16:p:9968-:d:886818
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kirsten Vanderplanken & Stephan Van den Broucke & Isabelle Aujoulat & Joris Adriaan Frank van Loenhout, 2021. "The Relation between Perceived and Actual Understanding and Adherence: Results from a National Survey on COVID-19 Measures in Belgium," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-10, September.
    2. Ali Cheshmehzangi & Maycon Sedrez & Junhang Ren & Dezhou Kong & Yifan Shen & Sinan Bao & Junhao Xu & Zhaohui Su & Ayotunde Dawodu, 2021. "The Effect of Mobility on the Spread of COVID-19 in Light of Regional Differences in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-24, May.
    3. Zidong Yu & Xiaolin Zhu & Xintao Liu & Tao Wei & Hsiang-Yu Yuan & Yang Xu & Rui Zhu & Huan He & Hui Wang & Man Sing Wong & Peng Jia & Song Guo & Wenzhong Shi & Wu Chen, 2021. "Reopening International Borders without Quarantine: Contact Tracing Integrated Policy against COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-13, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pagen, Demi ME & Hanssen, Daniëlle AT & van Loo, Inge HM & Brinkhues, Stephanie & den Heijer, Casper DJ & Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole HTM & Hoebe, Christian JPA, 2024. "The association between SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and cross-border mobility for visiting family or friends among Dutch residents of a Euregional province," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).

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