Coronavirus impact by the numbers
As many across the United States and world experience widespread disruptions due to COVID-19, social scientists are busy documenting the nuanced ways this pandemic is affecting people.
Newspaper reporters, broadcast journalists, public health officials and government leaders are keeping their eyes on daily case numbers and deaths in their region. They study models depicting when cases might peak or decline.
Beyond those numbers, Americans are feeling the financial squeeze caused by extensive closures of restaurants, businesses and movie theaters.
John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll, said more people in the U.S. are recognizing the threat of COVID-19.
“When we first started tracking this about three and a half weeks ago, 54% of Americans thought that fear was irrational. And 79% today say that fear is sensible,” he said.
A 30-year veteran of social science, Gerzema has tracked the impacts of events from 9/ 11 to the 2008 recession. And while the long-term impacts of COVID-19 are not yet clear, the immediate damage is evident.
“Definitely on the economic standpoint, this is going to have a far-ranging impact,” he said. “This is definitely a massive dislocation, unlike anything I’ve ever seen through the things that I’ve been tracking … But we’re trying to look for signs of sunshine through the clouds.”
Here are some of the many ways COVID-19 is impacting the lives of Americans across the country.
Economy
■ 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits during the week ending March 28. There were 562,000 applications in Florida between March
Shoppers wait outside Trader Joe’s in Winter Park April 2, as the number of shoppers inside
15 and April 5, but the online system has been bogged down by high demand and backlogs. The U.S. has suffered nearly 17 million layoffs in the past few weeks, and that number could continue to rise.
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have lost their jobs in the past three weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak. This may disproportionately affect younger workers with gig or service jobs, as two-thirds of Americans ages 18-34 fear they will lose their job due to COVID-19 (The Harris Poll).
■ of Central Florida’s more than 125,000 hotel rooms were occupied during the week of March 22-28, a number that pales in comparison to the more than 80% of rooms normally filled during March in Orlando (STR).
■ of Americans say they have missed, or will soon miss, a bill payment, and nearly a fifth said the same about a rent or mortgage payment, (The Harris Poll).
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Americans say they or their household lost income partially as a result of the coronavirus
pandemic, while 19% said they’d lost their income entirely (The Harris Poll).
■ of Americans say the coronavirus will cause a recession or depression in the U.S. (Pew Research Center).
Travel
■ 97%: The decrease in departing passengers on April 6 at Orlando International Airport, compared with the same date last year. More than 110 parked aircraft sat at the airport in recent days (Orlando Sentinel).
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are changing travel plans for the next six months because of coronavirus (Longwoods International).
■ report feeling claustrophobic inside their homes since stayhome orders have gone into effect, meaning there could be a surge of vacation planning following COVID-19 lockdowns (The Harris Poll).
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say it will take them a year or longer to take a cruise again, and 19% say
they won’t fly on a plane for a year or longer. 15% say they won’t ever take a cruise again (The Harris Poll).
Lifestyle
■ 95% of Americans said they’ve taken steps to leave their residence as little as possible, based on respondents surveyed April 3-5 for The Harris Poll, showing that social distancing is becoming more commonplace. 76% said the same March 17-18.
■ adults say their personal life has changed at least a little bit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and 44% say their life has changed in a major way (Pew Research Center).
■ — the amount that sales of baking yeast surged in the week that ended March 21 (Nielsen). That was an increase higher than any other food, beverage or consumer product experienced during that week.
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report getting less exercise amid the COVID-19 crisis and 28% say their diet has gotten worse. However, 14% say is limited amid the pandemic.
they’re exercising more and 13% say they now have a better diet (Gallup).
■ — the increase in toilet paper sales during March 11-12 when some states were announcing lockdowns (NCSolutions).
■ have felt appreciative to be around people they truly care about while staying at home, and 77% have felt compassionate by taking the time to check in with friends and loved ones (The Harris Poll).
Entertainment
■ An 80% increase in Netflix’s online interest compared with one month ago (Google Trends).
■ now subscribe to Disney Plus, up more than 22 million compared with two months ago (The Verge).
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(54%) say they’re giving in to more screen time to preoccupy kids since stayhome orders have been put into place. Parents with kids in the household are also twice as likely as adults with no kids to report an increased consumption in gaming and other-in home entertainment (The Harris Poll).
Work
■ Four out of 10 workingage adults ages 18-64 report having worked from home because of coronavirus concerns. That figure rises to a majority among workingage adults with college degrees and upper-income earners (Pew Research Center).
■ of U.S. workers now working from home would prefer to work remotely as much as possible following restrictions on businesses and schools (Gallup).
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working from home say they’re sometimes skipping a daily shower, but 56% say they’re working more now that they’re working from home. And 54% say they just roll out of bed and start working rather than following a morning routine (The Harris Poll).
News and information
■ 89% of U.S. adults are following news about COVID-19 either very closely or fairly closely (Pew Research Center). 70% believe the media are doing very or somewhat well with coverage of the virus, even as many news organizations are being forced to furlough or lay off staff and cutting print days.
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believe COVID-19 was made in a lab (Pew Research Center).
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in the United States if all who sought a test got one (Gallup).
■ say they have seen at least some made-up news about COVID-19 (Pew Research Center).