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America back in business: States opening up post US shutdown
See which states are reopening, when and how long the stay-at-home order lasted.
Back in March our nation went on lockdown due to the coronavirus. Finder actually took a look at what state governments were the most responsive to the pandemic. We now take a look at our 50 states and their reopening process.
Countries were not uniform in how they approached closures and neither were our states. There have also been contrasts in how states are reopening. These contrasts appear to be a result of America’s governors responding to apprehensive citizens and a debilitating economy. This is occurring even with the caveat of a second wave.
States with the shortest stay at home order duration
The states of Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming did not have stay at home orders at all. The state of Oklahoma only had an order for vulnerable populations such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.
States with the longest stay at home order duration
We found the top 5 states with the longest stay at home duration to be California at 79 days, New Jersey & Illinois at 77 days, New York at 76 and Washington had 75 days with 3 other states.
Alaska
- Stay at home order start date: 03/28/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 04/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/28/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 04/24/2020
Alabama
- Stay at home order start date: 04/04/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 04/30/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/28/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 04/30/2020
Arizona
- Stay at home order start date: 03/31/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/16/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/31/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Arkansas
- Stay at home order start date: Did not have a statewide stay-at-home order.
- Non-essential businesses closed date: Did not close non-essential businesses
California
- Stay at home order start date: 03/19/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/19/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Colorado
- Stay at home order start date: 03/26/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/9/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/26/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/9/2020
Connecticut
- Stay at home order start date: 03/23/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/23/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/20/2020
Delaware
- Stay at home order start date: 03/24/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/08/2020
District of Columbia
- Stay at home order start date: 03/30/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/29/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/29/2020
Florida
- Stay at home order start date: 04/03/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/18/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 04/03/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Georgia
- Stay at home order start date: 04/03/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 04/03/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Hawaii
- Stay at home order start date: 03/25/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/01/2020
Idaho
- Stay at home order start date: 03/25/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/01/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/01/2020
Illinois
- Stay at home order start date: 03/21/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/21/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/01/2020
Indiana
- Stay at home order start date: 03/24/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/18/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Iowa
- Stay at home order start date: Did not have a statewide stay-at-home order.
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/17/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/08/2020
Kansas
- Stay at home order start date: 03/30/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/04/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/30/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Kentucky
- Stay at home order start date: 03/26/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/26/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/11/2020
Louisiana
- Stay at home order start date: 03/23/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/15/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/23/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/01/2020
Maine
- Stay at home order start date: 04/02/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/01/2020
Maryland
- Stay at home order start date: 03/30/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/23/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/15/2020
Massachusetts
- Stay at home order start date: 03/24/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/18/2020
Michigan
- Stay at home order start date: 03/24/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/07/2020
Minnesota
- Stay at home order start date: 03/27/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/18/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/27/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Mississippi
- Stay at home order start date: 04/03/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 04/27/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 04/03/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 04/27/2020
Missouri
- Stay at home order start date: 04/06/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/15/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: N/A
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Montana
- Stay at home order start date: 03/28/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 04/26/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/28/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/01/2020
Nebraska
- Stay at home order start date: Did not have a statewide stay-at-home order.
- Non-essential businesses closed date: Did not close non-essential businesses
Nevada
- Stay at home order start date: 04/01/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/09/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/20/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/09/2020
New Hampshire
- Stay at home order start date: 03/27/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/27/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/11/2020
New Jersey
- Stay at home order start date: 03/21/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/21/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/02/2020
New Mexico
- Stay at home order start date: 03/24/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/15/2020
New York
- Stay at home order start date: 03/22/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/22/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
North Carolina
- Stay at home order start date: 03/30/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/08/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/30/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/08/2020
North Dakota
- Stay at home order start date: Did not have a statewide stay-at-home order.
- Non-essential businesses closed date: Did not close non-essential businesses
Ohio
- Stay at home order start date: 03/23/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/23/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/04/2020
Oklahoma
- Stay at home order start date: Order only for vulnerable populations
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 04/24/2020
Oregon
- Stay at home order start date: 03/23/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/23/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Pennsylvania
- Stay at home order start date: 04/01/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 04/01/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/08/2020
Rhode Island
- Stay at home order start date: 03/28/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/09/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/28/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
South Carolina
- Stay at home order start date: 04/07/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/04/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/31/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
South Dakota
- Stay at home order start date: Did not have a statewide stay-at-home order.
- Non-essential businesses closed date: Did not close non-essential businesses
Tennessee
- Stay at home order start date: 04/02/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/31/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Texas
- Stay at home order start date: 04/02/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/01/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 04/02/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Utah
- Stay at home order start date: Did not have a statewide stay-at-home order.
- Non-essential businesses closed date: Did not close non-essential businesses
Vermont
- Stay at home order start date: 03/24/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/15/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/04/2020
Virginia
- Stay at home order start date: 03/30/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/15/2020
Washington
- Stay at home order start date: 03/23/2020
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
West Virginia
- Stay at home order start date: 03/25/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/04/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/24/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/04/2020
Wisconsin
- Stay at home order start date: 03/25/2020
- Stay at home order end date: 05/13/2020
- Non-essential businesses closed date: 03/25/2020
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: 05/11/2020
Wyoming
- Stay at home order start date: Did not have a statewide stay-at-home order.
- Stay at home order end date: ongoing
- Non-essential businesses closed date: N/A
- Non-essential businesses reopened date: ongoing
Methodology
Reported COVID case data was sourced from Wikipedia. Cases only include people who were tested and confirmed positive. Rolling 7 day averages were calculated using arithmetic mean over the previous 7 days.
Closure and reopening dates were sourced from both the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and was supplemented by effective dates from each state’s executive orders/proclamations.
Sources:
- “COVID-19 pandemic data/United States medical cases,” updated on June 6, 2020 by Wikipedia, accessed on June 6, 2020
- “COVID-19 estimate,” updated on June 6, 2020, accessed on June 6, 2020
- All other data was sourced from each state’s executive orders/proclamations. As an example, Alabama’s dates were sourced from https://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/category/state-of-emergency/
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