Illinois Ranks As The State With The Most COVID-19 Restrictions
Things are starting to slowly return back to "normal." Restaurants, salons, barbershops, retail stores, and many businesses across all 50 states are beginning to reopen as states begin to ease restrictions. But not all states are easing coronavirus restrictions the same way and at the same time.
Living in the Quad Cities, it's hard to figure out which states have which rules. The handling of the coronavirus by Governor Reynolds of Iowa and Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois has been very different. So different, that according to WalletHub, Illinios has the most coronavirus restrictions out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and Iowa ranks as the 10th state with the fewest coronavirus restrictions.
To figure out these rankings, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 11 key metrics:
- Requirement to Wear a Face Mask in Public
- Travel Restrictions
- Large Gatherings Restrictions
- Statewide School Restart
- Reopening of Restaurants and Bars
- Reopening of Non-Essential Businesses
- Child Care Programs Reopening
- Strictness of “Shelter in Place” Order
- Presence of Multistate Agreements to Reopen
- Suspension or Postponement of Legislative Sessions
- Guidance on Elective Surgery and Medical Procedures
Each metric was weighted and graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the fewest restrictions. WalletHub then determined the weighted average across all metrics to calculate an overall score for each state, and used the resulting scores to rank-order their sample.
Here is what they found:
South Dakota is the state with the fewest coronavirus restrictions. Iowa lands in the number 10 spot with the 10th fewest coronavirus restrictions. Illinois is the state that continues to to have the most coronavirus restrictions when compared to the other 49 states and the District of Columbia.
Iowa's Coronavirus Death Rate ranking is 33 when compared when compared to the other 49 states and the District of Columbia. Illinois' Coronavirus Death Rate ranking is 45.
For more findings, methodology, and information from a panel of experts, click here.