Instagram co-founders launch state-by-state coronavirus tracker that estimates secondary COVID-19 infection rates and shows decline in New York while North Dakota has highest rate
- The site distills data taken from the COVID-19 Tracking Project
- It then uses that data to calculate the effective reproduction rate of the virus
- Figures show how many people are infected from one person on average
- While New York’s rate drops, states like North Dakota remain relatively high
- The site aims to contextualize people’s choices during lockdown
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
The co-founders of Instagram want to help parse COVID-19 data with the help of a new website designed to distill information on the virus’ spread in different states across the US.
On a newly launched website called RT.live, co-founders of the social media platform Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger who both left in 2018, use public COVID-19 data to calculate the effective reproduction number, an epidemiological tool that conveys the average number of people likely to be infected by just one person with the virus.
According to Systrom, who spoke with Bloomberg about the new site, the co-founders’ tool uses statistics taken from The COVID Tracking Project which aggregates health data on COVID-19 test results, including whether someone was positive or negative.
Instagram co-founders have launched a website designed to help track the rate of secondary infections on a state-by-state basis across the US (pictured). They hope that it will help contextualize the efficacy of lockdown measures and more
Figures displayed next to the charts convey the average number of people who are infected by a single person and according to Systom, can be used to help contextualize how states are fairing on preventing COVID-19’s spread.
‘If [the number] is above one, that means it’s growing very quickly, and if it’s below one, that means things are under control,’ Systrom told Bloomberg.
‘We’re trying to take what is a complex topic and boil it down to a simple number that anyone can view from their home.’
The tool highlights a number of interesting trends in states throughout the US including contextual information on hotbeds of COVID-19 like New York.
According to RT.live, the effective reproduction number for the state is currently at 1.0 which is down from an average peak of more than 4.0 people infected by a single person with the virus.
Additionally, the site shows that North Dakota appears to have the highest current effective reproduction number at 1.7 while Vermont has the lowest rate of secondary infections.
While the tool can be used as an estimate, founders note on the RT.live website that the reliability of calculations are still contingent on different factors like the volume of testing in any particular location.
‘Absolute testing levels should not affect this algorithm much, but a fast ramp or decline in testing will affect numbers,’ the website states.
Founders say they hope the ability to view secondary infection rates with more granularity will allow onlookers to get a more nuanced view of how their actions are affecting the spread of the virus.
‘That’s why this dashboard is so important, because it gives you live insight into the effects of the choices we all make,’ he said.
The website mirrors other initiatives from the tech world to help make sense of the current pandemic.
Both Apple and Google have decided to use location data from their respective GPS apps to help illustrate the effects of COVID-19 related lockdown.
On their own respective websites, the tech giants have been able to show rapid declines in how people commute, the effects on retail, and even how often people are making trips to the grocery store.
STATE-WIDE CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWNS
Alabama
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Non-essential businesses closed to the public
- Restaurants and bars limited to take-out only
Alaska
- Indefinite stay-at-home order
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses are limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Restaurants and bars limited to take-out only
- Travelers from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
Arizona
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses are limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Restaurants and bars limited to take-out only
Arkansas
- No state-wide stay-at-home order
- 10 person limit on gatherings – doesn’t apply to unenclosed outdoor spaces or places of worship
- Gym and entertainment venues closed, hotels and vacation rentals restricted to authorized guests
- Restaurants and bars limited to take-out only
California
- Indefinite stay-at-home order
- Gatherings in a single room or place prohibited
- Nonessential businesses are limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Restaurants and bars limited to take-out only
A sign promoting awareness of COVID-19 hangs over a road in Ketchum, Idaho
Colorado
- Stay-at-home order through April 26
- Public and private gatherings of any number prohibited with limited exceptions
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Restaurants and bars limited to takeout only
Connecticut
- Stay-at-home order through May 20
- Five person limit on social gatherings, 50-person limit for religious services
- Non-essential businesses must suspend all in-person operations
- Out-of-state visitors strongly urged to self-quarantine
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Delaware
- Stay-at-home order through May 15
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state who aren’t just passing through must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Florida
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- No social gatherings public spaces – with religious exemptions
- Nonessential services closed to the public – but gun stores remain open
- Visitors from COVID-19 hot spots such as New York must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Georgia
- Shelter-in-place order until April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Hawaii
- Stay-at-home order at least through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Idaho
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- Non-essential gatherings prohibited
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Illinois
- Stay-at-home order through at least April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Golfers practice social distancing at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia
Indiana
- Stay-at-home order through April 20, but likely to be extended
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Iowa
- No stay-at-home order
- Nonessential businesses ordered to close until April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Kansas
- Stay-at-home order until May 3
- 10 person limit on gatherings – exempting funerals and religious services with social distancing
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Residents who traveled to California, Florida, New York or Washington state after March 14, or visited Illinois or New Jersey after March 22, must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Kentucky
- No stay-at-home order
- Mass gatherings prohibited, smaller gatherings allowed with social distancing
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Louisiana
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
A customer wears a face mask while picking up food at the Municipal Fish Market in DC
Maine
- ‘Stay healthy at home’ executive order through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Maryland
- Indefinite stay-at-home order
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Massachusetts
- Non-essential businesses closed through May 4
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Visitors from out of state advised to self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Michigan
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- Public gatherings prohibited – with religious exemptions
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Minnesota
- Stay-at-home order through May 3
- Entertainment and performance venues closed
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Mississippi
- Stay at home order through April 20
- Schools closed through the end of the semester
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Missouri
- ‘Stay Home Missouri’ order through April 24
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses must enforce social distancing
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Montana
- Stay-at-home order through April 24
- Nonessential social and recreational gatherings prohibited
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Nebraska
- No stay-at-home order
- Hair salons, tattoo parlors and strip clubs closed through May 31
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Nevada
- Stay-at-home order through April 30.
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Recreational, entertainment and personal-care businesses closed, including casinos
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
New Hampshire
- Stay-at-home order through May 4
- Nine person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
New Jersey
- Indefinite stay-at-home order
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential retail businesses must close bricks-and-mortar premises. Recreational and entertainment businesses also closed
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
New Mexico
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- Five person limit on gatherings in a single room
- Nonessential businesses must suspend all in-person operations
- Arriving air travelers must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
New York
- Stay-at-home order through May 15
- Nonessential gatherings prohibited
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
- Masks must be worn in situations where social distancing is not possible
North Carolina
- Stay-at-home order through April 29
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
North Dakota
- No stay-at-home order
- Schools, restaurants, fitness centers, movie theaters and salons closed
- No state-wide directive on gatherings
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Ohio
- Stay-at-home order through May 1
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Oklahoma
- ‘Safer at Home’ order until April 30 for people over the age of 65 and other vulnerable residents
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses must suspend services
- Visitors arriving from New York, California, Louisiana and Washington must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Oregon
- Indefinite stay-at-home order
- 25 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Pennsylvania
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- Gatherings prohibited
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Rhode Island
- Stay-at-home order through May 8
- Five person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
A couple in protective masks walk through Central Park in New York City
South Carolina
- ‘State of Emergency’ executive order extended through at least April 27
- Three person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
South Dakota
- No stay-at-home order
- Unnecessary gatherings of 10 or more prohibited
Tennessee
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Texas
- Stay-at-home order through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Air travelers flying to Texas from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Louisiana or Washington – or Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Miami – must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Utah
- No stay-at-home order
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Businesses must minimize face-to-face contact with high-risk employees
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Vermont
- Stay-at-home order through May 15
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from out of state must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Virginia
- Stay-at-home order through June 10
- Recreation and entertainment businesses closed through May 8
- 10 person limit on gatherings
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Washington
- Stay-at-home order through May 4
- All gatherings for social, spiritual and recreational purposes are prohibited
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
West Virginia
- Indefinite stay-at-home order
- Five-person limit on gatherings
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Visitors from coronavirus hotspots must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Wisconsin
- ‘Safer at Home’ order prohibits all nonessential travel until May 26
- All public and private gatherings are prohibited with limited exceptions.
- Nonessential businesses limited to minimum operations or remote work
- Self-quarantine recommended for out-of-state visitors
- Bars and restaurants limited to take-out only
Wyoming
- No stay-at-home order – but social distancing restrictions through April 30
- 10 person limit on gatherings in a confined space
- Restaurants and bars limited to take-out only
- Anyone entering the state except for essential work must quarantine for 14 days