Coronavirus Latest: More Marylanders Staying At Home Amid Pandemic, Researchers Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The number of Marylanders staying at home amid the coronavirus pandemic nearly doubled in the past month, researchers at the University of Maryland said.
Researchers have published a website showing which parts of the country are staying at home and practicing good social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Location data from cell phones show many Americans are still traveling despite stay-at-home orders.
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"I'm sure that data also worries epidemiologists when they look at the economy reopening, the chance of second, third wave of outbreaks," Maryland Transportation Institute Director Dr. Lei Zhang said. "I think what (Maryland's) statewide order did was it sustained that behavior change we saw in mid-March."
The number of people staying at home in Maryland nearly doubled in the past month. According to the data, 37 percent of residents are staying home, making Maryland the sixth-highest jurisdiction in the country based on percentages of residents staying home.
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The data shows the percentage of Marylanders who stayed at home began to increase around mid-March, around the time Gov. Larry Hogan ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to close their dining rooms.
Washington, D.C. topped the list with 54 percent of residents staying home, followed by New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Michigan. Those four states are among the hardest-hit areas in the country.
"What we at the University of Maryland are studying in terms of the balance between privacy protection and fighting this pandemic is that we advocate for an opt-in approach," Zhang said.
The data is brought in through an "opt-in" process and researchers said no personal information is collected.
The interactive public site can be viewed here.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
