SOCRATES-CoMix: a platform for timely and open-source contact mixing data during and in between COVID-19 surges and interventions in over 20 European countries

BMC Medicine, vol. 19, pp. 254

Abstract

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 dynamics are driven by human behaviour. Social contact data are of utmost importance in the context of transmission models of close-contact infections. METHODS: Using online representative panels of adults reporting on their own behaviour as well as parents reporting on the behaviour of one of their children, we collect contact mixing (CoMix) behaviour in various phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in over 20 European countries. We provide these timely, repeated observations using an online platform: SOCRATES-CoMix. In addition to providing cleaned datasets to researchers, the platform allows users to extract contact matrices that can be stratified by age, type of day, intensity of the contact and gender. These observations provide insights on the relative impact of recommended or imposed social distance measures on contacts and can inform mathematical models on epidemic spread. CONCLUSION: These data provide essential information for policymakers to balance non-pharmaceutical interventions, economic activity, mental health and wellbeing, during vaccine rollout.

Authors 17

1. Frederik Verelst

   University of Antwerp

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

2. Lisa Hermans corresponding

   Hasselt University

   Affiliation as printed

   Data Science Institute and I-BioStat, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium. lisa.hermans@uhasselt.be

   Data Science Institute and I-BioStat, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium

3. Sarah Vercruysse

   Hasselt University

   Affiliation as printed

   Data Science Institute and I-BioStat, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium

4. Amy Gimma

   London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

   Affiliation as printed

   London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

5. Pietro Coletti

   Hasselt University

   Affiliation as printed

   Data Science Institute and I-BioStat, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium

6. Jantien A. Backer

   National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

7. Kerry LM Wong

   London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

   Affiliation as printed

   London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

8. James Wambua

   Hasselt University

   Affiliation as printed

   Data Science Institute and I-BioStat, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium

9. Kevin van Zandvoort

   London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

   Affiliation as printed

   London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

10. Lander Willem

    University of Antwerp

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

11. Laurens Bogaardt

    National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

12. Christel Faes

    Hasselt University

    Affiliation as printed

    Data Science Institute and I-BioStat, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium

13. Christopher I Jarvis

    London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

14. Jacco Wallinga Aachen Dept Biomedical Data Sciences

    Leiden University Medical Center · National Institute for Public Health and the Environment

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    Dept Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

15. W. John Edmunds

    London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

16. Philippe Beutels

    University of Antwerp · UNSW Sydney

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

17. Niel Hens

    University of Antwerp · Hasselt University

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Health Economics Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Data Science Institute and I-BioStat, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium