2022 E-Insights Report

COVID-19 Related Measures

In this subsection, researchers analyzed COVID-19 related measures such as the COVID-19 ICU bed utilization rate and the vaccination rates. They also analyzed Google search volume on the COVID-19 disease concern and the searches for vaccinations.

To understand the COVID-19 concern, they analyzed Google search volume for the search terms such as “Do I have COVID,” “COVID symptoms,” “COVID cases,” “delta variant,” and “coronavirus.” To understand the public interest in vaccinations, researchers analyzed Google search volume for the search terms such as “vaccine finder,” “COVID vaccine near me,” “COVID vaccine comparison,” “COVID booster shot,” and “COVID vaccine availability.”

The researchers track the vaccination rates in the comparison communities. To this end, they tracked full vaccination rate and vaccinated rate: at least one dose. The researchers consider an individual to be fully vaccinated if the individual has received the second dose in a 2-dose series such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or a single-does of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. To track the vaccination rate: at least one dose, the researchers consider the number of individuals who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including those who have received one dose of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.