Source: The COVID TRACKING PROJECT
Jan. 28. By Dave Yochum. North Carolina is the eighth-most restrictive state when it comes to coronavirus restrictions, according to a WalletHub study which compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 14 key metrics, including whether restaurants are open, face mask requirements and workplace temperature screenings.
The COVID Tracking Project, which is reporting 151,675 new cases of the coronavirus nationwide today, says North Carolina is averaging 59 new cases a day of the coronavirus per day per 100,000 people.
That compares to South Carolina which has 78 new cases a day per 100,000 people. According to WalletHub, South Carolina ranks No. 10 in terms of fewest coronavirus restrictions.
TARKO
Research shows that policies targeted toward vulnerable groups would be “substantially better than one-size-fits-all policies,” according to Professor Vlad Tarko, Department of Political Economy and Moral Science at the University of Arizona.
“Unfortunately, this is often hard to do in practice. For instance, students are a relatively low-risk group, but many of their professors are not. The best ways to protect the population most at risk, as well as the actions that individuals can take to safely begin to get back to normal, differ a lot depending on their specific circumstances,” he said.
Interestingly enough, Arizona has 97 new cases a day per 100,000 people, according to the COVID Tracking Project. It ranks 30th in terms of restrictions, according to the WalletHub study.
NC coronavirus restrictions (1=Fewest, 25=Avg.):
18th – State Guidance on Customer Health Checks at Restaurants
26th – Large Gatherings Restrictions
48th – Strictness of “Shelter in Place” Order
34th – Reopening of Non-Essential Businesses
22nd – Reopening of Restaurants and Bars
Least and Most
Oklahoma, South Dakota and Iowa are the Top 3 in terms of least COVID-19 restrictions. California, Virginia and Massachusetts have the most restrictions, according to WalletHub.
FORMAN
Cool Q&A
Here’s a Q&A with Howard Forman MD, MBA, professor at the Institute for Social and Policy Studies, of Economics, of Management and of Public Health (Health Policy), Yale School of Medicine:
Q. What are the top measures that can be taken in order to safely open the economy and prevent a second wave of coronavirus infections?
A. Have adequate testing to match a rapidly declining positivity rate on case-finding. Maintain as much social distancing and hygienic measures as feasible.
Q. What would be the consequences of opening the economy too early?
A. If the economy is opened too early there would be the development of a new wave and a need for a second shutdown.
Q. What are the best ways to protect the population most at risk while resuming economic activity?
A. Social distancing and aggressive testing of contacts are the best ways.
Q. What can individuals do to safely begin to get back to normal?
A. Individuals should encourage elected officials to do what is necessary to re-open the economy like:
—Establish aggressive testing.
—Tracing.
—Isolation scheme with appropriate staffing.
—Tracking.
—Transparency and to settle for nothing less.
