Social Distancing

Coronavirus Shuts Down Food Processing Plant as President Pushes Reopening Economy
As President Donald Trump eyes May 1 for "opening up states," he might want to look at states that never shut down businesses to understand his public health advisor's warning that "the virus makes the timeline."

Another State (Ohio) Gets It Right
Washington and California have been praised for early efforts to mitigate community spread of the novel coronavirus, resulting in relatively low rates of infection, hospitalization, and ultimately, death. Add Ohio to the bunch.

Overcoming Social Distance
People are finding new ways to connect digitally across physical spaces during the coronavirus pandemic, and these temporary solutions could have a lasting impact on the way we live.

74 Miles of 'Slow Streets' in Oakland
Suddenly, cars aren't the first priority on 10 percent of the roadway in Oakland, California.

The Geography of Occupations: Some Neighborhoods Will Suffer More Than Others Under COVID-19
Census Bureau data shows we live near people with similar occupations, and right now frontline jobs are riskier for both health and economic well-being than working from home.

Coronavirus Signs Say So Much
The signs of the times say much more than words can express.

Contrasting the Coronavirus Impact in the Bay Area to New York City
Early intervention, or population density? NPR reporters based in the Bay Area and New York City offer explanations as to why the two regions are seeing such a wide contrast in experiences during the coronavirus outbreak.

Location Data Reveals Inequities of Coronavirus Response
More affluent people in the United States tended to stay at home sooner, and much more consistently, than low-income Americans according to location data tracked on mobile phones.

States Not Unified in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic
Public health experts were pleased that Trump extended his coronavirus guidelines, but they remain advisory, left to state and local governments to implement. Nine states have yet to issue stay-at-home orders, leaving the nation vulnerable to COVID.

Stoops as a Respite in These Challenging Times
As New York City has shut down and people remain physically isolated, stoops provide spaces where residents can safely connect with others and the city itself.

For Social Distancing, Sidewalk Design Falls Short
Narrow sidewalks and pathways mean that people cannot realistically stay far enough apart.

Louisiana Municipalities Go Beyond 'Shelter in Place' with Curfews and Checkpoints
Four parishes and one town in Louisiana, which has the nation's highest COVID-19 per capita death rate, are implementing strict containment strategies that go well beyond the statewide stay at home order to reduce community spread.

Straight Talk from White House Public Health Experts on What to Expect
The public got to view the models that caused the president on Monday to extend the White House Coronavirus Guideline for 30 days. Dr. Deborah Birx, who led the presentation, emphasized that success will come down to behavior to reduce fatalities.

Suppression or Mitigation? The Language of Coronavirus Containment
A report from Imperial College London, viewed as the "gold standard" by British leaders, was instrumental in compelling the U.S. and the U.K. to enact stronger policies to contain COVID-19. But was it too late?

President Extends Coronavirus Guidelines; No Packed Churches Expected on Easter
Shortly after the two health experts on his task force estimated that the COVID-19 death toll could reach 200,000 and that no metro area would be spared, President Trump announced on Sunday that he would extend the 15-day guidelines through April.

Mississippi Governor First to Preempt Local Stay-at-Home Orders
As more governors order residents to stay at home and/or close nonessential businesses to contain the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Tate Reeves has gone the opposite direction by issuing an executive order that supersedes stricter local measures.

New Density Control Measure to Close Some New York Streets to Cars
To encourage recreational walking while practicing social distancing in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo asked the New York City mayor and city council speaker to devise a pilot project to provide for open streets.

A Social Distancing Scorecard
A location data company has created a Social Distancing Scorecard to track the progress of Americans, down to the county level, in reducing travel in accordance with recommendations to reduce physical contact.

Britain Shuts Down and India Locks Down to Contain COVID-19
In a major reversal, Prime Minister Boris Johnson dramatically strengthened his policies on containing the pandemic, ordering residents on Monday to stay at home and closing nonessential businesses. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Inda went further.

Frontlines of the Social Distancing Effort Shifts to Parks and Open Space
Too many people have been seeking normalcy on parks and on trails. This isn’t a normal time.
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