tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Gesundheitswesen
. 2021 Apr 16.
doi: 10.1055/a-1398-5417. Online ahead of print.
Retracing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany from a Public Perspective using Google Search Queries Related to "coronavirus"
Barbara Schuster[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Linda Tizek[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maximilian C Schielein[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stefanie Ziehfreund[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kathrin Rothe[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Christoph D Spinner[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tilo Biedermann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Alexander Zink[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
in English, German, German
Aim of the study: During pandemics, the whole population is simultaneously confronted with the same health threat, resulting in enormous public interest. The current COVID-19 pandemic has left the world in a unique state of crisis. The aim of this analysis was to explore whether Google searches can be used to retrospectively retrace the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and to detect local outbreaks by reflecting public interest in the virus.
Methods: Google Trends was used to explore the relative search volume (RSV) related to "coronavirus" from January 2020 to July 2020 in Germany. The RSV ranging between 0-100 was compared to new SARS-CoV-2 infections per day on a national level and to the cumulative infection numbers on a state level, as well as to important infectiological and political events.
Results: The most striking search peaks occurred after the first reported SARS-CoV-2 infection in Germany (January 27), during a major local outbreak in Heinsberg (February 25), after school closings (March 13) and the largest peak after nationwide contact restrictions (March 22) were announced. On a state level, peaks in RSV were observed after the first reported infection in each respective state. In addition, a higher RSV was recorded in states with higher numbers of infections (r=0,6, p=0,014) such as in Bavaria (RSV=96, 391 infections/100,000 inhabitants) and Baden-W?rttemberg (RSV=98, 340 infections/100,000 inhabitants). The lowest RSV (n=83) and lowest number of infections (50 infections/100,000 inhabitants) was observed in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Since the end of May, SARS-CoV-2 related RSV remained at low level even when numbers of infections were temporarily rising due to local outbreaks such as the outbreak in G?tersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Conclusion: RSV related to "coronavirus" precisely reflected public interest during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As public interest has strongly declined, information distribution regarding the newest developments over the entire course of the pandemic will be a major public health challenge.
. 2021 Apr 16.
doi: 10.1055/a-1398-5417. Online ahead of print.
Retracing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany from a Public Perspective using Google Search Queries Related to "coronavirus"
Barbara Schuster[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Linda Tizek[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maximilian C Schielein[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stefanie Ziehfreund[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kathrin Rothe[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Christoph D Spinner[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tilo Biedermann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Alexander Zink[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33862647
- DOI: 10.1055/a-1398-5417
Abstract
in English, German, German
Aim of the study: During pandemics, the whole population is simultaneously confronted with the same health threat, resulting in enormous public interest. The current COVID-19 pandemic has left the world in a unique state of crisis. The aim of this analysis was to explore whether Google searches can be used to retrospectively retrace the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and to detect local outbreaks by reflecting public interest in the virus.
Methods: Google Trends was used to explore the relative search volume (RSV) related to "coronavirus" from January 2020 to July 2020 in Germany. The RSV ranging between 0-100 was compared to new SARS-CoV-2 infections per day on a national level and to the cumulative infection numbers on a state level, as well as to important infectiological and political events.
Results: The most striking search peaks occurred after the first reported SARS-CoV-2 infection in Germany (January 27), during a major local outbreak in Heinsberg (February 25), after school closings (March 13) and the largest peak after nationwide contact restrictions (March 22) were announced. On a state level, peaks in RSV were observed after the first reported infection in each respective state. In addition, a higher RSV was recorded in states with higher numbers of infections (r=0,6, p=0,014) such as in Bavaria (RSV=96, 391 infections/100,000 inhabitants) and Baden-W?rttemberg (RSV=98, 340 infections/100,000 inhabitants). The lowest RSV (n=83) and lowest number of infections (50 infections/100,000 inhabitants) was observed in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Since the end of May, SARS-CoV-2 related RSV remained at low level even when numbers of infections were temporarily rising due to local outbreaks such as the outbreak in G?tersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Conclusion: RSV related to "coronavirus" precisely reflected public interest during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As public interest has strongly declined, information distribution regarding the newest developments over the entire course of the pandemic will be a major public health challenge.