generated by the novel human Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, countries across the world are taking measures in order to reduce the effects, or at least to slow it down, in order to better cope with public health and better manage its limited resources. Human-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 have been described with incubation times between 2-10 days, facilitating its spread via droplets, contaminated hands or surfaces (Kampf et al., 2020). While limited knowledge is available about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we have some experience with other infectious diseases that might have some similar characteristics.
Hypermobility and the spread of diseaseRelevant to transport and health is how our hypermobile society spreads such a disease so quickly. Despite the early evidence to show that the human-to-human transmission of rates of COVID-19 is lower than SARS (Cascella et al., 2020), compared with its respiratory disease family, SARS and MERS, Peeri et al. (2020) show that COVID-19 has spread more rapidly, due in part to increased globalisation and the first epicentre's (Wuhan) accessibility. Wu, J. T. et al. (2020) argue that the abundance of connecting flights, the timing of the outbreak during the Chinese New Year, and the extraordinary rail accessibility of Wuhan to the rest of China has enabled the virus to spread throughout the country, and eventually, globally, in a very short time.We are so connected to one another across the globe for work, for leisure and to stay connected to families and friends. The success of our transport system in terms of mobility and safety means we've become used to taking long haul flights and world cruises with little regard for potential negative side effects. Data from Statistica (2020), show that the number of passengers on scheduled commercial airlines have increased 137% in the past 15 years (Mazareanu, 2020). Although the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has been warned about in the past, the timing and trajectory of it is something very hard to predict. But we have become so blas� e to the negative side effects of large scale travel and mobility that we consider it normal to do long journeys and expect little to no negative externalities or that someone else is taking care of those, whether they are pollution, injuries, or the break-up of local communities.
Effects of curtailing transportIn addition, we see the mass consequences of having to curtail mobility with many countries introducing lock-downs with significant repercussions for work, but also for fulfilling everyday duties, getting shopping in and seeing friends and family. Who knows at the moment how long such a lock down will last in many countries, and further what effect it will have on changing our mobility
