Tarrant County isn’t doing enough social distancing amid coronavirus, data shows
Many people are following stay-at-home orders and exercising social distancing.
But apparently not enough.
Tarrant County scored a D on the most recent COVID-19 social distancing scoreboard, according to smartphone GPS data compiled by Unacast, an analytics company that has gathered data from tens of millions of cell phone users across the world.
That’s slightly better than the state’s ranking.
Texas received a D-minus.
The number of cars on the road seems to grow day by day in Tarrant County. Parking lots at businesses that are open are more crowded than they were weeks ago, and an increasing number of party pictures are being posted on social media.
Stay-at-home orders in Tarrant County last through Thursday.
But a growing number of people are frustrated with staying home or not being able to go to work. And Facebook groups — such as Open Texas — are becoming more vocal, calling on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and city and county officials to reopen the state for business.
“When COVID-19 is spreading in your area, everyone should limit close contact with individuals outside your household in indoor and outdoor spaces,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Since people can spread the virus before they know they are sick, it is important to stay away from others when possible, even if you have no symptoms.”
Through Monday, there have been 2,019 positive cases of coronavirus reported in Tarrant County. That includes 53 deaths and 289 recoveries.
The average mobility of the Tarrant County population, as of Sunday, was down about 45% compared to late February, before any coronavirus restrictions were in place.
Overall, Tarrant residents received a C for reducing their average mobility, which is based on distance traveled; a D for reducing non-essential visits; and an F for encounter density, which shows the drop in local encounters compared with national numbers, according to Unacast data.
Tarrant County’s drop in movement started happening March 13, the day Tarrant County and the state declared disasters because of coronavirus. Stay-at-home orders soon followed and then Abbott announced a statewide closure of restaurants and bars, which prompted another drop in numbers.
Change in movement since then has gone up slightly, then it drops, and then repeats.
Tarrant County isn’t the only urban county with low grades, according to Unacast data.
Dallas County scored a D-plus; Bexar County scored a D-plus; Harris County scored a D; and Travis County scored a C.
Which communities are getting the best grades?
Presidio, Hartley and Brewster counties all scored the highest grades in Texas, an A-minus. And 11 counties — from Edwards to Bailey to Winkler to Hemphill — scored a B.
At the same time, 30 Texas counties received an F, including Wise, Hood, Parker and Johnson counties, the data showed.
According to Unacast data, the decline in movement likely stems from people working from home, and not traveling or visiting restaurants and entertainment venues. This data has not been vetted by public health officials and it does not interpret whether social distancing measures are stopping the spread of disease.
This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 1:46 PM.
