The city matters: urbanization, regional analysis and urban segregation in times of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

In early 2020, urban settlements worldwide have experienced the rapid expansion of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). Cities were the hotspots of virus contamination within countries presenting significant COVID-19 notifications. In this study, we first investigate the COVID-19 dissemination between compact and sprawling big cities, examining aspects such as urban density, location of people and jobs and commuting patterns. Previous literature and recent data from three distinct big cities (New York, Los Angeles and Sao Paulo) support our discussion. Our literature review demonstrates that urban morphology, infrastructure, mobility projects and economic activities are relevant aspects of urban development that might affect interactions among citizens and COVID-19 dissemination. In addition, we show that regional scale and urban network analysis are also relevant in studies investigating COVID-19 growth. Finally, our literature review shows that urban socio-spatial vulnerability is also relevant in times of pandemic, highlighting the associations between COVID-19 dissemination and socio aspects within cities, such as poverty and inequality.