We investigate the interplay between the local spread of COVID-19 and patterns of individual mobility within and across self-contained geographical areas. Conceptually, we connect the debate on regional development in the presence of shocks with the literature on spatial labour markets and address some research questions about the role of individual mobility in affecting the spread of the disease. By looking at granular flows of Facebook users moving within and across Italian labour market areas (LMAs), we analyse whether their heterogeneous internal and external mobility has had a significant impact on excess mortality. We also explore how individual mobility plays different roles in LMAs hosting industrial districts – characterised by a thicker local labour market and denser business and social interactions – and with a high presence of “essential sectors” - activities not affected by the COVID-19 containment measures taken by the Italian government at the onset of the crisis.

我们调查了 COVID-19 的本地传播与自给自足的地理区域内和之间的个人流动模式之间的相互作用。从概念上讲，我们将有关冲击下区域发展的争论与空间劳动力市场的文献联系起来，并解决了一些有关个人流动性在影响疾病传播中的作用的研究问题。通过观察 Facebook 用户在意大利劳动力市场区域 (LMA) 内部和之间流动的细粒度流动，我们分析了他们的异构内部和外部流动性是否对超额死亡率产生了重大影响。我们还探讨了个人流动性如何在工业区所在的 LMA 中发挥不同的作用——其特点是当地劳动力市场更密集、商业和社会互动更密集——并且“重要部门”的存在率很高——不受 COVID-19 遏制措施影响的活动意大利政府在危机爆发时采取的措施。