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Abstract

Background

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was largely mitigated by limiting contacts in the general population. In early 2022, most contact-reducing measures were lifted.

Aim

To assess whether the population has reverted to pre-pandemic contact behaviour and how this would affect transmission potential of a newly emerging pathogen.

Methods

We compared two studies on contact behaviour in the Netherlands: the PIENTER Corona study, conducted during and after the pandemic (held every 2–6 months from April 2020) and the PIENTER3 study (2016–17, as pre-pandemic baseline). In both, participants (ages 1–85 years) reported number and age group of all face-to-face persons contacted on the previous day in a survey. Transmission potential was examined using the next-generation matrix approach.

Results

We found an average of 15.4 (95% CI: 14.3–16.4) community contacts per person per day after the pandemic in May 2023, 13% lower than baseline (17.8; 95% CI: 17.0–18.5). Among all ages, children (5–9 years) had the highest number of contacts, both pre- and post-pandemic. Mainly adults aged 20–59 years had not reverted to pre-pandemic behaviours, possibly because they more often work from home. Although the number of contacts is lower compared to the pre-pandemic period, the effect on transmission potential of a newly emerging respiratory pathogen is limited if all age groups were equally susceptible.

Conclusion

Continuous monitoring of contacts can signal changes in contact patterns and can define a ‘new normal’ baseline. Both aspects are needed to prepare for a future pandemic.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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2024-10-24
2024-10-30
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.43.2400143
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Contact behaviour before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands: evidence from contact surveys, 2016 to 2017 and 2020 to 2023
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Jantien+A+Backer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Backer Jantien A</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Eric+R+A+Vos&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Vos Eric R A</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gerco+den+Hartog&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">den Hartog Gerco</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Cheyenne+C+E+van+Hagen&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van Hagen Cheyenne C E</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Hester+E+de+Melker&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">de Melker Hester E</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Fiona+R+M+van+der+Klis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van der Klis Fiona R M</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jacco+Wallinga&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wallinga Jacco</a></span>. Contact behaviour before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands: evidence from contact surveys, 2016 to 2017 and 2020 to 2023. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2024;29(43):pii=2400143. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.43.2400143" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.43.2400143</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 04 Mar 2024;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 19 Jun 2024 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.43.2400143
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.43.2400143
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