Effect of COVID-19 driven lockdown on social contact pattern in Puducherry, India: A longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to assess the change in social contact and transmission dynamics among adults in the Puducherry district during the different phases of country-wide lockdown. METHODS: Adults aged 18–69 years in Puducherry were assessed for frequency and duration of contacts in the following time points: prior to lockdown (March 2020), during lockdown, immediate post-lockdown (April, June 2020), and seven months post-lockdown (February 2021). Adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) were obtained using a generalized estimating equation. We also assessed the exponential trajectory of the time-varying reproduction number (R(t)) during and after lockdown. RESULTS: Compared to pre-lockdown phase, frequency of social contacts during 1(st) week, 4(th) week of lockdown, and immediate post-lockdown were reduced by 89% (aIRR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.09–0.13), 40% (aIRR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.52–0.69) and 91% (aIRR = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.07–0.10) respectively. However, the decline was not statistically significant at seven months post-lockdown. Correspondingly, we observed an initial spike in R(t) during the lockdown phase followed by a gradual decline during the immediate post-lockdown phase. However, seven months post-lockdown, R(t) has increased again. CONCLUSION: The study showed high compliance to the lockdown measures in Puducherry during the lockdown and immediate post-lockdown periods. However, as the lockdown measures were relaxed, the contact rate returned to the pre-lockdown state.