Most Aggressive States Against The Coronavirus

By Adam McCann, Financial Writer  •  Mar 24, 2020  // WalletHub

According to the World Health Organization, the primary way that coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads is through close interaction with other people. If people come into contact with droplets exhaled or coughed out by infected people, they are at risk of getting the virus. In response, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that Americans use “social distancing.” This includes canceling large events and staying at least two meters away from others when possible, among other measures to limit close contact.

Maryland is considered one of the most aggressive states in America in the fight aginst Coronavirus.

Many states have taken the CDC’s advice and have legally enforced social distancing, to the point of banning even small gatherings, closing all non-essential businesses, shutting down schools and even ordering residents to shelter in place in some cases. Other states have focused on laws ensuring greater funding for combating the pandemic or guaranteeing that treatment is covered by insurance. Some states have even taken hygiene into their own hands – for example, New York is manufacturing its own hand sanitizer to deal with shortages.

In order to determine the states that are most and least aggressive in their efforts to limit exposure to coronavirus, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 46 unique metrics. Our data set ranges from tested cases of COVID-19 per capita and state legislation on the pandemic to the uninsured population and share of the workforce in affected industries. Read on for the ranking and a complete description of our methodology.

Alongside this report, WalletHub also released a Coronavirus and Money Survey that examined how the virus has affected Americans’ daily life and spending habits.

https://wallethub.com/edu/most-aggressive-states-against-coronavirus/72307/

Coronavirus Survey Q&A with WalletHub

Why is California the most aggressive state against the coronavirus?

“Some of the key reasons why California is the most aggressive state against the coronavirus include the closure of schools, bars and restaurants in the state, as well as the statewide shelter-in-place order currently in effect. California is also one of the states now requiring early prescription refills,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez.

Why is Mississippi the least aggressive state against the coronavirus?

“The state-level measures that Mississippi has taken during the coronavirus pandemic have been relatively small. For example, the state has not closed bars or restaurants, while many other states have. Plus, Mississippi lags behind other states in COVID-19 tests administered per capita,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez.

What are some of the most aggressive measures states have taken in response to the pandemic?

“One of the most aggressive actions that states have taken thus far is to institute mandatory stay-home and shelter-in-place orders for all residents, along with nightly curfews,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “Another drastic measure has been to ban all public gatherings.”

Is the federal government doing enough for the economy?

“The government is off-base in attempting to address the economic carnage emanating from the coronavirus pandemic with the traditional tools of a recession or even a depression. Instead, the government should do whatever it takes to create a federal payment holiday for April at the least. That means all bills due for both businesses and consumers – whether it’s a mortgage payment, a rent payment, utility payment, or any other kind of bill – should be erased,” said Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEO of the finance website WalletHub. “If you combine a true payment holiday with direct relief sent to consumers to ensure the affordability of daily necessities, such as food and medicine, the situation becomes more manageable. It would also cost just a fraction as much as trying to fully replace people’s full paychecks. And, most importantly, it would not create an additional barrier to resuming normal economic life, since there would be no major bills waiting for people and businesses on the other side