Most Aggressive States Against the Coronavirus

From Wallet Hub,  Mar 17, 2020

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.

Many states have taken the CDC’s advice and have legally enforced social distancing, to the point of banning large gatherings and mandating that restaurants and bars close 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 35 unique metrics. Their 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….

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PBN: Report assesses Hawaii's COVID-19 response strengths, weaknesses

HAWAII

• 45 -- Overall Rank
• 35 – 40 -- Score Interval
• 36 -- ‘Prevention & Containment’ Rank
• 35 -- ‘Risk Factors & Infrastructure’ Rank
• 47 -- ‘Economic Impact’ Rank
• 49 -- Influenza and Pneumonia Death Rate Per Capita (2nd highest)
• 3 – Lowest Share of Population without Insurance Coverage
• 4 - Highest Public Health Spending Per Capita
• 3 – Lowest Share of Risk Population—Chronic Illness
• 49—Accommodations, Food Service, Public Transportation, and Entertainment as Share of GDP (tied for highest)
• 50—Share of Workforce in Accommodations, Food Service, Public Transportation, and Entertainment (tied for highest)

SA: Website scores Hawaii low on COVID-19 preparation