TY - JOUR
T1 - The association between SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and cross-border mobility for visiting family or friends among Dutch residents of a Euregional province
AU - Pagen, Demi Me
AU - Hanssen, Daniëlle At
AU - van Loo, Inge Hm
AU - Brinkhues, Stephanie
AU - den Heijer, Casper Dj
AU - Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole Htm
AU - Hoebe, Christian Jpa
PY - 2024/3/21
Y1 - 2024/3/21
N2 - BACKGROUND: Border measures were implemented in many countries as infection prevention measures to interrupt between-country COVID-19 transmission. Border closings impact border region residents, as their professional and social lives are often intertwined across national borders. We studied whether crossing borders to visit family/friends in neighbouring countries (cross-border mobility) was associated with SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Dutch Euregional residents. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2 serostatus (negative/positive) was assessed (pre-vaccination) using laboratory testing to determine previous infection. Visiting Belgian or German family/friends in February-March 2020 was questioned. The association between cross-border mobility and seroprevalence was tested using logistic regression analysis, adjusted for previously identified exposure factors. RESULTS: In 9,996 participants, 36.8 % (n = 3,677) reported cross-border family/friends. Of these, one-third (n = 1,306) visited their cross-border family/friends in February-March 2020. Multivariable analyses revealed no positive association between cross-border mobility and seropositivity, for both participants living in a border municipality (ORfamily/friends not visited=0.90 [95 % CI:0.78-1.04], ORfamily/friends visited=0.88 [95 % CI:0.73-1.05]), and for participants not living in a border municipality (ORfamily/friends not visited=0.91 [95 % CI:0.72-1.16], ORfamily/friends visited=0.62 [95 % CI:0.41-0.94]). CONCLUSIONS: This study provided no evidence of cross-border mobility as an important exposure factor for SARS-CoV-2. The results of our unique real-world study suggest that cross-border mobility did not substantially contribute to cross-border SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the Netherlands.
AB - BACKGROUND: Border measures were implemented in many countries as infection prevention measures to interrupt between-country COVID-19 transmission. Border closings impact border region residents, as their professional and social lives are often intertwined across national borders. We studied whether crossing borders to visit family/friends in neighbouring countries (cross-border mobility) was associated with SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Dutch Euregional residents. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2 serostatus (negative/positive) was assessed (pre-vaccination) using laboratory testing to determine previous infection. Visiting Belgian or German family/friends in February-March 2020 was questioned. The association between cross-border mobility and seroprevalence was tested using logistic regression analysis, adjusted for previously identified exposure factors. RESULTS: In 9,996 participants, 36.8 % (n = 3,677) reported cross-border family/friends. Of these, one-third (n = 1,306) visited their cross-border family/friends in February-March 2020. Multivariable analyses revealed no positive association between cross-border mobility and seropositivity, for both participants living in a border municipality (ORfamily/friends not visited=0.90 [95 % CI:0.78-1.04], ORfamily/friends visited=0.88 [95 % CI:0.73-1.05]), and for participants not living in a border municipality (ORfamily/friends not visited=0.91 [95 % CI:0.72-1.16], ORfamily/friends visited=0.62 [95 % CI:0.41-0.94]). CONCLUSIONS: This study provided no evidence of cross-border mobility as an important exposure factor for SARS-CoV-2. The results of our unique real-world study suggest that cross-border mobility did not substantially contribute to cross-border SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the Netherlands.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Cross-border mobility
KW - Prevention and control
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Seroprevalence
KW - Transmission control
U2 - 10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105056
DO - 10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105056
M3 - Article
SN - 0168-8510
VL - 143
JO - Health Policy
JF - Health Policy
M1 - 105056
ER -