  Socioeconomic segregation patterns in networks usually evolve gradually, yet
they can change abruptly in response to external shocks. The recent COVID-19
pandemic and the subsequent government policies induced several interruptions
in societies, potentially disadvantaging the socioeconomically most vulnerable
groups. Using large-scale digital behavioral observations as a natural
laboratory, here we analyze how lockdown interventions lead to the
reorganization of socioeconomic segregation patterns simultaneously in
communication and mobility networks in Sierra Leone. We find that while
segregation in mobility clearly increased during lockdown, the social
communication network reorganized into a less segregated configuration as
compared to reference periods. Moreover, due to differences in adaption
capacities, the effects of lockdown policies varied across socioeconomic
groups, leading to different or even opposite segregation patterns between the
lower and higher socioeconomic classes. Such secondary effects of interventions
need to be considered for better and more equitable policies.
