California was ranked Tuesday as the most aggressive state in efforts to limit its residents’ exposure to the deadly coronavirus.
The national ranking by Washington-based financial services firm WalletHub compared the 50 states and District of Columbia across 46 metrics. The data used in the ranking ranged from tested cases of COVID-19 per capita and state legislation on the pandemic to the uninsured population and share of the workforce in affected industries.
Responses have varied widely across the country, with states in the South generally ranking at the bottom. Mississippi came in last, Tennessee 49th and Arkansas 47th.
“Many states have taken the CDC’s advice and have legally enforced social distancing, to the point of banning even small gatherings, closing all non-essential businesses, shutting down schools and even ordering residents to shelter in place in some cases,” WalletHub.
California is one of those states, coming in first for “prevention and containment.”
“Some of the key reasons why California is the most aggressive state against the coronavirus include the closure of schools, bars and restaurants in the state, as well as the statewide shelter-in-place order currently in effect. California is also one of the states now requiring early prescription refills,” noted WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez.
New York, which currently has the largest number of coronavirus cases, ranked 7th and Washington state came in 21st.