Socio-economic status and mobility during the Covid-19 pandemic: an analysis of large latin american urban areas

Abstract

This study analyzes mobility patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic for 8large Latin American urban areas. Indicators of mobility by socio-economicstatus are generated combining georeferenced mobile phone informationwith granular census data. Higher socio-economic status is consistentlyassociated with more intense reductions in mobility. According to estimated lasso models, an indicator of government restrictions provides the bestparsimonious description of these heterogeneous responses. These estimations point to noticeable similarities in the patterns observed across theurban regions. This evidence is consistent with asymmetries in the feasibility of working from home and in the ability to smooth consumption undertemporary income shocks.