Coronavirus: Study looks at when each state is reopening and when they should
Researchers at the University of Washington have compiled a list of potential dates for relaxing social distancing measures and reopening economies in each state that sees some areas of the country remaining closed until well into June.
The study, conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation used information about hospitalizations and deaths from the COVID-19 virus in each state to compile the list including a date at which “relaxing social distancing may be possible with containment strategies that include testing, contact tracing, isolation, and limiting gathering size.”
The dates for relaxing social distancing was determined “by our estimate of when COVID-19 infections drop below 1 per 1 million people in a given location and is also influenced by each location’s available public health funding to implement new containment strategies,” the group’s website reads.
The “relax estimate” for 30 states falls in May, while 19 states have dates in June, and one, North Dakota, has a July 12 date. North Dakota officials did not put a stay-at-home order in place.
Montana has the earliest reopening date on May 1.
The stay-at-home orders for nearly half of the states in the country are set to expire between April 26 and May 1.
California was the first state to issue a stay-at-home order. It was effective on March 19.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was chastised by President Donald Trump Thursday for his plan to reopen various businesses including beauty shops, barbershops and tattoo parlors in the state.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott may announce rules Friday that could see certain businesses reopen. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reed has said he is inclined to begin to reopen his state after the shelter-in-place order expires Monday.
| State | Relax date | Stay at home since |
| Alabama | May 17 | April 4 |
| Alaska | May 6 | March 28 |
| Arizona | June 23 | March 30 |
| Arkansas | June 20 | No order |
| California | May 17 | March 19 |
| Colorado | May 25 | March 26 |
| Connecticut | June 7 | No order |
| Delaware | May 17 | March 24 |
| D.C. | June 5 | March 30 |
| Florida | June 11 | April 3 |
| Georgia | June 19 | April 3 |
| Hawaii | May 6 | March 25 |
| Idaho | May 15 | March 25 |
| Illinois | May 19 | March 21 |
| Indiana | May 20 | March 25 |
| Iowa | June 26 | No order |
| Kansas | June 19 | March 30 |
| Kentucky | June 11 | No order |
| Louisiana | May 27 | March 23 |
| Maine | May 13 | April 2 |
| Maryland | June 5 | March 30 |
| Massachusetts | June 7 | No order |
| Michigan | May 19 | March 24 |
| Minnesota | May 30 | March 27 |
| Mississippi | May 30 | April 3 |
| Missouri | June 7 | April 6 |
| Montana | May 1 | March 26 |
| Nebraska | June 30 | No order |
| Nevada | May 18 | March 31 |
| New Hampshire | May 16 | March 27 |
| New Jersey | May 27 | March 21 |
| New Mexico | May 22 | No order |
| New York | May 27 | March 22 |
| North Carolina | May 10 | March 30 |
| North Dakota | July 12 | No order |
| Ohio | May 14 | March 23 |
| Oklahoma | June 14 | No order |
| Oregon | May 25 | March 23 |
| Pennsylvania | May 27 | April 1 |
| Rhode Island | June 7 | March 28 |
| South Carolina | June 5 | April 7 |
| South Dakota | June 25 | No order |
| Tennessee | May 20 | April 2 |
| Texas | June 7 | April 2 |
| Utah | June 21 | No order |
| Vermont | May 8 | March 24 |
| Virginia | June 5 | March 30 |
| Washington | May 26 | March 23 |
| West Virginia | May 7 | March 25 |
| Wisconsin | May 21 | March 25 |
| Wyoming | May 30 | No order |
Note: While the chart indicates that Connecticut and New Mexico did not have stay-at-home orders, both states did have social distancing orders in place.
Citizens in parts of Wyoming has been ordered to stay at home, as have citizens in Utah and Oklahoma. Kentucky suggested that citizens stay “Healthy at Home.”
