News

The US states which still aren't on coronavirus lockdown, mapped

The US states which still aren't on coronavirus lockdown, mapped
indy100 via mapchart.net / H/T New York Times

Across the world, from India to Italy, Australia and the UK, people have been directed to stay inside to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Generally the accepted method is to implement a “lockdown” or “stay-at-home order", where people who aren’t key workers are supposed to avoid leaving the house unless they need to purchase essentials.

But in the US it's still quite a mixed picture.

While the vast majority of states have put lockdown or stay home orders in place, some leaders have been hesitant to follow suit.

The New York Times reports that, as of 2 April, a small group of states – Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota – had no known lockdown orders in place. All of these states have Republican gove​rnors.

There are also other states that don’t have a statewide lockdown order in place, but cities, counties and districts have brought in their own orders in the absence of statewide controls. These include Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma and North Carolina.

indy100 via mapchart.net. H/T New York Times

Texas is the largest state without a statewide mandate. Its Republican governor Greg Abbott has left it to mayors and county officials to make their own rules. Alabama governor Kay Ivey, also a Republican, indicated she wasn’t ready to put a statewide order in place, citing concern over the state’s economy. This comes as a new study found that states with Republican governors have been slower to adopt social distancing.

It’s obviously concerning that some states are lagging behind. But the NYT estimates that nine in ten Americans live in states where they are instructed to stay inside.

The Conversation (0)
x