With some states choosing to delay further reopening or even bring back some previously lifted restrictions due to surges in COVID-19, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released updated rankings for the States with the Fewest Coronavirus Restrictions.
To identify which states have the fewest coronavirus restrictions, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 17 key metrics. Our data set ranges from whether the state has any penalties for non-compliance with COVID-19 legislation to whether the state has required face masks in public and health checks at restaurants. Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a Q&A.
Coronavirus Restrictions in New York (1=Fewest, 25=Avg.):
- 18th – Requirement to Wear a Face Mask in Public
- 28th – Workplace Temperature Screening
- 18th – State Guidance on Customer Health Checks at Restaurants
- 39th – Travel Restrictions
- 16th – Large Gatherings Restrictions
- 47th – Strictness of “Shelter in Place” Order
- 17th – Reopening of Non-Essential Businesses
- 17th – Reopening of Restaurants and Bars
- 16th – Working from Home Requirements/Recommendations
Q&A
Is there a strong correlation between how restrictive a state is and its unemployment rate?
“There is a strong correlation between a state’s restrictiveness and its unemployment rate,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “WalletHub’s analysis found that 68% of states with few COVID-19 restrictions had low unemployment rates. This makes sense because states with fewer restrictions allow more places to open, which in turn provides more opportunities to work.”
What long-term consequences will there be if schools remain closed for part or all of the fall semester?
“If schools remain closed for part or all of the fall semester, one positive impact will be that the spread of COVID-19 among children will be minimized,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Unfortunately, there are many negative consequences that come with keeping schools closed. Students are likely to learn less than they would through classroom instruction, and the achievement gap between wealthy and poor students is projected to widen. Parents with young children will need to make sure the children have supervision at home, which could mean that many parents may be unable to earn a living.”
Should states strictly enforce their COVID-19 restrictions?
“States should strictly enforce their COVID-19 restrictions because otherwise there is no incentive for people to follow the rules. If there are no consequences for disobeying a state’s mask mandate, for example, people will be more likely to try to enter crowded areas without masks, which in turn will contribute to the spread of the virus,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Fines are a good deterrent to make sure Americans follow COVID-19 restrictions, and enforcement will also minimize the need for citizens to play the police.”
Should states that see spikes in COVID-19 deaths just pause their reopening or reinstitute lockdowns?
“States with spikes in COVID-19 deaths should pause their reopening as well as make sure extra preventative measures are in place, like mandatory mask wearing and temperature checks at workplaces and busy transit hubs,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “It may be necessary to reinstitute lockdowns in some places at a micro level, in small communities that are experiencing especially high death and hospitalization rates.”
