Coronavirus: The stunning numbers behind (San Francisco) Bay Area's first month in lockdown

[ffr]

Turn back the clock and nobody would believe what we have witnessed in the last month — 815 Californians losing their lives, another 2.8 million-plus losing their jobs, 6 million kids suddenly going to school online.

All because of a virus we’d never heard of four months ago.

Economy - Uncle Sam is sending out $2.1 trillion in pandemic relief...California sent out $336 million to the newly jobless. That dwarfs the average $15.1 million a day paid out in the first two months of the year.

Businesses - U.S. Department of Commerce figures out this week show retail sales down 8.7 percent in March. But the pain isn’t shared equally. Sales at clothing stores have plunged more than 50 percent — who needs sharp-looking clothes when you can’t leave your house? Motor vehicle, furniture, restaurant and bar sales are down about 27 percent, sporting goods 23 percent, department stores almost 20 percent, electronics 15 percent.

Traffic - A UC Davis study released earlier this month found that traffic collisions were down about 50 percent across California in the first 10 days of the state’s shelter-in-place order, prompting insurers to offer premium rebates of 15-25 percent as the state moved to require them.

Wildlife and winter - The lockdown has closed many parks, including California’s fabled Yosemite, which shut March 20. Usually at the start of spring, there would be more than 165,000 visitors visiting the national park. Lots of bears, no people.

Take a deep breath - In the Bay Area, air pollution levels have fallen by about a third, with soot down 39 percent and smog down 31 percent since March 20 thanks to a significant drop-off in driving.


Public Safety - With most everyone stuck at home, crime has plummeted. In the first week after the shutdown, for example, violent crime in San Jose dropped 46% from the same week the previous year. In the last week of March, crime was down about 69% in Oakland and 55% in San Francisco compared to February.

Health Care - Covered California, the state’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, saw 58,400 people enrolled in its health care plans since the exchange announced a special-enrollment period in response to the pandemic. The agency said the pace of sign-ups has been nearly three times the level during the same period in 2019.

Dining and drinking - With restaurants barred from dine-in, it’s forced some to be creative. Flights in Los Gatos has turned itself into a drive-through grocery and sold 75 feet worth of commercial toilet paper rolls. At least eight breweries and distilleries switched to making hand sanitizer. - San Jose Mercury News

[MFGsunny]

1. Thanks for posting. Valuable data to examine. Valuable data to compare. n/t

[PufPuf23]

2. Nice and informative post. Thank you kr