Mobility patterns and COVID growth: Moderating role of country culture

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in countries reacting differently to an ongoing crisis situation. Latent to this reaction mechanism is the inherent cultural characteristics of each society resulting in differential responses to epidemic spread. Epidemiological studies have confirmed the positive effect of population mobility on the growth of infection. However, the effect of culture on indigenous mobility patterns during pandemics needs further investigation. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring the moderating role of country culture on the relationship between population mobility and growth of CoVID-19. Hofstede’s cultural factors; power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term and short-term orientation are hypothesised to moderate the effect of mobility on the reproduction number (R) of COVID-19. Panel regression model, using mobility data and number of confirmed cases across 95 countries for a period of 170 days has been preferred to test the hypotheses. The results are further substantiated using slope analysis and Johnson-Neyman technique. The findings suggest that as power distance, individualism and long-term orientation scores increase, the impact of mobility on epidemic growth decreases. However, masculinity scores in a society have an opposite moderating impact on epidemic growth rate. These Hofstede factors act as quasi moderators affecting mobility and epidemic growth. Similar conclusions could be not be confirmed for uncertainty avoidance. Cross-cultural impact, as elucidated by this study, forms a crucial element in policy formulation on epidemic control by indigenous Governing bodies.