Using time use diaries to track changing behavior across successive stages of COVID-19 social restrictions

Gershuny, J.; Sullivan, O.; Sevilla, A.; Vega-Rapun, M.; Foliano, F.; Lamote de Grignon, J.; Harms, T.; Walthery, P.

We present analyses of 24-hour time use diary records of the UK populations activities, their social context and their location, collected in real time from four successive waves of representative UK samples, both before, and during, the current COVID-19 pandemic. We show changes in behavioral response to social restrictions at three time-points during the pandemic, including across two nationwide lockdowns. Comparing samples across the four waves, we find evidence of substantial changes in the populations activities, locations and social interactions, which may be interpreted as direct responses to changes in regulations. One of our main motivations was to compare risk-related behavior across the first and second lockdowns. We find suggestive evidence that the second lockdown (recorded late November 2020) was less strictly adhered to than the first (recorded May-June 2020). Holding constant gender, age and social grade, the population spent on average 32 more minutes per day in high risk activities in late November 2020 than in first lockdown. Disaggregating by gender and age group, the difference was found to be statistically significant for all groups, with the exception of those aged 55 and over.