September 21, 2020

Business Closures, Stay-at-Home Restrictions, and COVID-19 Testing Outcomes in New York City

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions

Keywords (Tags): transmission

• The closure of nonessential businesses and out-of-home activity restrictions implemented on March 22, 2020 in New York city decreased the positivity rate of tests for SARS-CoV-2 by 25% (54% in early April to 14% in early May). Using data on SARS-CoV-2 testing at the zip code level and smart phone location data, Borjas reported that a doubling in the relative number of visits to local businesses was associated with a 12% increase in the proportion of positive tests. A doubling in the relative number of mobile devices that did not leave the home was associated with a 2% lower proportion of positive tests.

Borjas. (Sept 17, 2020). Business Closures, Stay-at-Home Restrictions, and COVID-19 Testing Outcomes in New York City. Preventing Chronic Disease. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200264