The number of Covid-19 cases has fallen from January highs in most states as vaccine distribution has picked up, but life is no longer normal in most of the US. Americans dated less in January, February and early March compared to the same period in 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic forcibly blocked the state. According to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the number of times people were away from home for 10 minutes or more in the US was down 6%. In some states, including Mississippi, Alabama and the Dakotas, people ventured at almost the same pace as in early 2020.
Foot traffic data analyzed by The Wall Street Journal shows that many people have returned to restaurants, but are far less enthusiastic about movie theaters. Fewer people fill pews in every state except Wyoming. Gyms in North Dakota are busier than before the pandemic, but everywhere else fewer people are jumping on treadmills. Rural people spend less time in traffic and stay closer to home, compared to early 2020.
Overall, Americans visit places of worship and non-essential businesses such as gyms and movie theaters on average 19% less often than right before the pandemic. In Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota, these establishments have almost completely returned. The three states are also among the 11 states where people traveled more miles in cars than before Covid-19, while the national median was down 6%.
In the Dakotas, where there are fewer restrictions than most states, the bars are overcrowded and weddings and large gatherings have taken place. Since September, public schools have been largely open to personal learning. South Dakota and North Dakota had the two highest daily Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people as of April 2.
In Arizona and North Carolina, foot traffic at nonessential businesses and places of worship was closer to the national median in January, February, and early March. North Carolina government Roy Cooper relaxed restrictions in late February, allowing stores, gyms, and restaurants to open at 50 percent capacity. On March 23, the state announced it would lift the 11 p.m. cut-off time for alcohol serving and increase occupancy limits for non-essential businesses. Bars, gyms, restaurants, and theaters in Arizona were allowed to run at full capacity in March.