The evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of google searches.

ABSTRACT: Real-time data is essential for policymakers to adapt to a rapidly evolving situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from 221 countries and territories, we demonstrate the capacity of Google search data to anticipate reported COVID-19 cases and understand how containment policies are associated with changes in socioeconomic indicators. First, search interest in COVID-specific symptoms such as "loss of smell" strongly correlated with cases initially, but the association diminished as COVID-19 evolved; general terms such as "COVID symptoms" remained strongly associated with cases. Moreover, trends in search interest preceded trends in reported cases, particularly in the first year of the pandemic. Second, countries with more restrictive containment policies experienced greater search

SUBMITTER: Marty R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10645993 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature