On March 24th Gretchen Whitmer’s order to “Stay Home, Stay Safe” was a shutdown of the nonessential business due to the coronavirus outbreak. This was done once before by Michigan governor Albert Sleeper in October 1918. This was being done to “flatten the curve” and reduce the rate of infection so that hospitals and medical staff are not overwhelmed all at once.
In order to help local and state governments, Google has began a reporting site called COVID-19 Community Mobility Report. These static reports aim to provide insights into what has changed in response to stay at home and other policies aimed at combating COVID-19. The reports chart movement trends over time by geography, across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential. The data collected from mobile devices and smartphones is anonymously reported in order to protect individual privacy
Michigan COVID-19 Mobility Report
The data for the Michigan COVID-19 Mobility Report implies that there has been a drop of travel to retail stores, recreational centers, pharmacies, and grocery stores. However travel to parks and outdoor areas has shot up compared to the baseline through March 24th.
As predicted people are staying home more and travelling less. The question remains is this enough to stop growth in the epidemic.
Huron County Select Data
Data from Huron County Michigan is incomplete. However it does report that people are still travelling to local retail stores and pharmacies only 5% less then they were before.
Sanilac County Select Data
Tuscola County Select data
Related to Michigan COVID-19 Mobility Report
- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order to “Stay Home, Stay Safe” was not unexpected. The last time a Michigan governor shut down the state for an epidemic was 102 years ago.
- Just as the Michigan coronavirus warnings were starting, some cottage owners where getting ready to travel north and site out the pandemic.
- Over the past 100 years, the United States and Michigan have been hit with four influenza pandemics. Of all of these, the 1918 outbreak was the most serious in terms of mortality and the two-year duration of the epidemic. Michigan’s Experience With Pandemics
