When COVID Hits Home
An informative perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic through maps
Introduction
The first U.S. case of COVID-19 was detected in Washington state in January, 2020. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic. As the months progress, we see residents of certain countries, such as New Zealand, are able to return safely to their businesses and work. However, the United States has lacked the same positive momentum. Its case count has increased substantially every day. Over time, a variety of states have found themselves the new epicenters of COVID-19, causing their residents to wonder what policies might have been effective in slowing the spread.
People from all age groups, including young adults, have become sick and been hospitalized, with some succumbing to the illness. A general consensus among survivors and medical professionals is that being young and healthy isn’t enough protection from COVID-19.
Restaurants are seeing a decline in patrons because of COVID-19.
A National View
COVID-19 Case Density by US County
Using data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center , we created a map illustrating the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per 10,000 people by US county. These maps provide a visual representation of what is happening in each county, including yours. US counties appearing on the map with no color (dark gray) have no known cases of COVID-19. Please see the legend next to the map for more details.
This map represents density, assuming population is distributed evenly. A more granular view would complement and aid this map to understand what is happening in our backyard. This is where the COVID-19 Presence Map provides assistance.
U.S. COVID Presence Map
Using WorldPop Data and JHU Data , the Yale COVID-19 Data Mapping Team created the U.S. COVID Presence Map , which visualizes the COVID Presence Index - the number of possible cases of COVID-19 at any given location of the United States - by distributing the total number of confirmed cases in a county in the last 14 days using its population distribution, as opposed to the cumulative cases shown in the previously mentioned U.S. COVID County Map. The increasing levels of COVID Presence Index are displayed using colors ranging from white to blue to red, while the average case density within the populated parts of the county boundaries are represented by the grey shades. Since the COVID Presence Index depicts estimates that are inferred from county-wide statistics, it does not show the exact location of individual COVID-19 cases.
Since residents are not evenly distributed within those counties, it maps population density. This enables it to provide a more accurate depiction of COVID-19 hotspots in the United States.
When paired together, these two maps provide a better insight into the condition each county is in.
A State-level Fight
When states began to notice that national-level policies were not effective against slowing the spread, they adopted policies of their own, including travel restrictions, quarantine, routine testing, mandated masking, and social distancing.
Here, we will highlight three US states and explore what each has been doing to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
A view of Santa Monica, California.
California
Despite California being the first state to issue a stay-at-home order ¹ in mid-March and closing down businesses and universities when cases first emerged, it is becoming the nation's COVID-19 epicenter again. A significant increase in cases has been attributed to a combination of testing difficulties ², previous lax mask usage ³, and population density ⁴. As of August 3rd, California has 512,175 confirmed cases and 9,396 deaths.
A store in Austin, Texas shows a sign that limits the amount of essential food products one can purchase due to COVID-19.
Texas
Texas was initially very optimistic about the pandemic, which led them to adopt lax regulations. As a state, it encouraged masks rather than mandate the use ⁵. Texas had a short lockdown and reopened businesses ⁶ in April before seeing a decline in cases. Texas residents believed that everything was under control, until suddenly, it wasn't. As of August 3rd, Texas has 512,175 confirmed cases and 9,396 deaths.
A service advisory board reminds Metro-North users to use face coverings or masks.
New York
When the virus began to spread rapidly across the nation in March, New York became the first epicenter of the virus ⁷ in the United States. This has been attributed to its population size and out-of-state travel ⁸. More recently, according to NBC New York, cases have been rising in young adults from ages 21 to 30 likely due to their frequent violation of state protocols ⁹. As of August 3rd, New York has 416,298 confirmed cases and 32,710 deaths.
Ever-changing Counties
We can observe more detail in how states are fighting COVID by exploring the counties. Some counties are struggling with rising rates of infection, unable to slow down the spread of the virus. Others appear to be doing a great job of containing the spread despite their state being a dangerous infection zone. Let's explore these counties closely and see what each one is doing to fight COVID-19.
Aerial view of Downtown Miami.
Miami-Dade County, Florida
While Florida took action in closing their state around mid-March, it has since become a COVID-19 hot-spot ¹⁰. Enjoying Florida’s beaches and sunny days, younger people began to travel and ignore social distancing protocols ¹¹ to regain a sense of normalcy. This has been detrimental to Florida's goal of reopening safely, and the state is showing signs that it may be shutting down again ¹². As of August 3rd, Miami-Dade County has 123,644 confirmed cases and 1,694 deaths.
Whiskey rye barrels aging in Louiseville, Kentucky.
Jefferson County, KY
Until late July, it was possible to visit Kentucky bars and restaurants due to the state's reopening plan ¹³. However, this quickly changed as Kentucky started seeing a rise in cases. With longer waits for test result and uncertainty looming in the air, Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear, decided to close down public access to bars and restaurants. He publicly stated, "I will not let us become an Alabama, a Florida or an Arizona. We’ve got to take proactive steps and that’s what we’re trying to do." ¹⁴ As of August 3rd, Jefferson County has 7,131 confirmed cases and 233 deaths.
A movie theater in Milwaukee closed due to COVID-19, advising people to stay safe.
Milwaukee County, WI
Wisconsin is one of the smaller locations that has been rapidly increasing in cases as of late July. As a state, Wisconsin had placed regulations requiring people to stay home ¹⁵ in order to further halt the spread of COVID-19. These restrictions proved to be effective in flattening the curve in that area. However, this period of stability ended too soon. The Wisconsin Supreme Court decision ¹⁶ regarding extending the stay-at-home order revealed how restrictions were viewed as unconstitutional for lawmakers while necessary for Wisconsin citizens. This prevented the stay-at-home order from being extended. Now, Wisconsin is seeing a rapid rise in cases, both in suburban and urban areas of the state ¹⁷. As of August 3rd, Milwaukee County has 19,727 confirmed cases and 446 deaths.
The Issue in our Backyard
A college graduate virtually participates in her graduation ceremony.
This pandemic has hurt communities in many ways we couldn't have imagined in a world post-COVID-19. Families grieve over lost loved ones, wishing to have had one more day together. Business owners have had to close their shops due to lack of funds. Students and teachers endure a state of confusion about their return to school.
COVID-19 has taken an emotional toll on the country, but it doesn't stop there. Financially, most people cannot afford to contract COVID-19. According to statistics from the Federal Reserve, 40% of Americans don’t have $400 in the bank for emergency expenses ¹⁸. Although COVID-19 testing is free, individual medical bills are not and can accumulate depending on the severity of a person's case and their insurance coverage.
A common belief among younger adults regarding COVID-19 is that they will recover if infected or that their age is a shield. This is not the case.
This article, reported by CNN, is a collection of personal anecdotes of young adults fighting COVID-19. Many of them still report feeling unwell despite successfully fighting the virus. The youngest case presented here is a 24-year-old college student who urges people around his age to take the virus seriously. Kevin Garcia, a college student from New York, began to experience symptoms on March 25th. Despite surviving COVID-19, he stated that two weeks later, his functionality is at about 75 percent and that his body will need a longer recovery to be able to do certain strenuous actions again.
I saw doctors bringing out dead bodies every day. I heard ambulances probably 50 times a day. I'm glad that I'm alive because a lot of people my age died."
It is easy to forget that others are suffering when it doesn't affect us, but we shouldn't have to experience personal loss to acknowledge that this pandemic can be beaten by taking the necessary precautions.
Once overlooked, masks and hand sanitizer have become a staple in every household.
Conclusion
In a time like this, we can find ourselves overwhelmed by data, statistics, and numbers. They can make us lose sight of what it all means: the infected are real people fighting for their lives against a virus that is entirely new. They are our coworkers, neighbors, and family members. They make up our communities. As a community, we must follow procedures put into place, not just for our own safety, but for one another.
If you would like to view the presence of COVID-19 in your community, explore the following U.S. COVID Presence Map.
References
- Helsel, P. California issues statewide stay-at-home order in coronavirus fight. NBC News. Published March 19, 2020.
- McDermott M, Cowan J. Is California Doing Enough Coronavirus Testing? The New York Times. Published July 17, 2020.
- Willon P, Fry H, Money L. Californians must wear face masks in public under coronavirus order issued by Newsom. The Los Angeles Times. Published June 18, 2020.
- Botts J, Benichou L. The neighborhoods where COVID collides with overcrowded homes. Cal Matters. Published June 12, 2020.
- Svitek P. Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texans in most counties to wear masks in public. The Texas Tribune. Published July 2, 2020.
- Salam E. Texas 'wide open for business' despite surge in Covid-19 cases. The Guardian. Published August 1, 2020.
- Levenson E. Why New York is the epicenter of the American coronavirus outbreak. CNN. Published March 26, 2020.
- NY, NJ Report Slight Uptick in Virus Rates; Hoboken Spike Attributed to Out-Of-State Travel. NBC New York. Published July 4, 2020.
- ‘It Can Kill You:' Cuomo Blames NYC Bar Scene for Alarming Spike in Young COVID Hospitalizations. NBC New York. Published July 28, 2020.
- Miller N. Florida sets coronavirus record with 10,000 new cases; Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa cited as hot spots. Orlando Sentinel. Published July 2, 2020.
- Alcocer A. Social distancing surges again in Florida as COVID-19 cases rise and new shutdowns loom, data shows. Sun Sentinel. Published July 22, 2020.
- Budryk Z. Shalala on Florida outbreaks: 'We need to close down again'. The Hill. Published July 19, 2020.
- Tobin B. Restaurants can reopen in Kentucky. Why some bars and pubs will open doors, too. The Louisville Courier-Journal. Published May 19, 2020.
- Gov. Beshear says Kentucky will take 'additional steps' to curb spread of COVID-19. WLKY. Published July 27, 2020.
- Johnson S. What To Know About Wisconsin's Coronavirus 'Stay-At-Home' Order. Wisconsin Public Radio. Published March 24, 2020.
- Vidgor N. Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down Stay-at-Home Order. The New York Times. Published May 13, 2020.
- Vandermause C. Milwaukee Suburbs Seeing a Rapid Increase in COVID-19 Cases. The Shepherd Express. Published July 24, 2020.
- Youn S. 40% of Americans don’t have $400 in the bank for emergency expenses: Federal Reserve. ABC News. Published May 24, 2019.
