Coronavirus Study: Colorado Is 4th Hardest State To Practice Social Distancing In

(CBS4) - When it comes to states where it's hardest to social distance, Colorado ranks No. 4. A new study from WalletHub examined the practice that's essential in preventing the spread of coronavirus and came up with that result.

Colorado is known for its residents being outdoorsy, and often that means hitting the slopes or the trails with friends or family members. With stay-at-home orders in place (and now a "safer-at-home" order) those popular outdoor activities that involve lots of social interaction have been greatly hampered. Ski areas have been closed since the COVID-19 outbreak began, but CBS4 has reported recently on how some backcountry enthusiasts are ignoring public safety messages and officials at some high country hotspots have had to shoo them away.

WalletHub found that the Centennial State was one of the highest ranking states for "time spent on social activities" in the time before coronavirus. Only Oregon was found to be a state where residents spent more time on sports, exercise and recreation. In the "money spent on social activities" category that's featured in the study, Colorado also ranked in the Top 10.

Being blocked from those outdoor and social opportunities feels especially drastic in places like Colorado.

"The costs are tremendous both socially and economically," said David Weisburd, a professor at George Mason University who was quoted in the study.

Utah was named the state where social distancing is hardest, and Alabama was where it was found to be easiest.

RELATED: Latest Updates On The Coronavirus Outbreak In Colorado

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