  SARS-CoV-2 emerged in late 2019. Since then, it has spread to several
countries, becoming classified as a pandemic. So far, there is no definitive
treatment or vaccine, so the best solution is to prevent transmission between
individuals through social distancing. However, it is difficult to measure the
effectiveness of these distance measures. Therefore, this study uses data from
Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports to try to understand the mobility
patterns of the Portuguese population during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this
study, the Rt value was modeled for Portugal. Also, the changepoint was
calculated for the population mobility patterns. Thus, the change in the
mobility pattern was used to understand the impact of social distance measures
on the dissemination of COVID-19. As a result, it can be stated that the
initial Rt value in Portugal was very close to 3, falling to values close to 1
after 25 days. Social isolation measures were adopted quickly. Furthermore, it
was observed that public transport was avoided during the pandemic. Finally,
until the emergence of a vaccine or an effective treatment, this is the new
normal, and it must be understood that new patterns of mobility, social
interaction, and hygiene must be adapted to this reality.
