Google monitors how we enforce quarantine: how it happens

Google has found an unusual way to monitor how the world's inhabitants comply with quarantine - while, as company representatives assure, all our personal data will remain inviolable. A special site, launched in early April, publishes daily reports on the location of users of Google services from around the world without indicating the geolocation of individual people.

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Website called COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, allows using special reports on mobility to monitor how people's activity has changed in response to the recommendations and requirements for observing quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic. The reports show trends over time across geographic regions in different categories of places, such as shops and places of rest, grocery stores and pharmacies, parks, workplaces and living quarters.

When creating it, the same type of aggregated anonymous data is used as in Google Maps, the site said. Reporting information is created using anonymous data sets from users who have turned on the Location History option, which is disabled by default. People with location history turned on can disconnect it from their Google account at any time and can always delete already recorded data.

While the project does not provide reports on all countries, among the states of the post-Soviet space the website contains reports on Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. As the creators of the project note, other countries, regions and languages ​​will be added in the coming weeks.

Reports, according to information on the website, will be available for a limited time if health officials find them useful in their work to stop the spread of COVID-19.

On the subject: Features of national quarantine: how different societies behave in a pandemic

Quarantine in the USA

In the United States as a whole, between February 23 and April 5, 2020, retail and leisure activity (restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, theme parks, museums, libraries and movie theaters) decreased by 49%. Americans began visiting grocery stores and warehouses, farmers' markets, pharmacies, parks, public beaches, animal parks, and public gardens 20% less. The situation on the roads has changed significantly: US residents began to travel 54% less on public transport - subways, buses, trains. Americans are also 40% less likely to visit their workplace and stay in their place of residence 13% longer.

Illinois State

Residents of this state reduced their activity in retail trade and recreation by 50%, began visiting grocery stores, markets and pharmacies 16% less often, but increased their activity in parks, public beaches, and animal areas by 24%. The congestion of public transport has decreased by 52%, and jobs have decreased by 39%. At the same time, Illinois residents became 12% more likely to stay home.

California State

From February 23 to April 5, 2020, Californians became 53% less likely to visit retail and recreational places (restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, theme parks, museums, libraries and cinemas), 27% less likely to visit grocery stores and warehouses, farmers markets, pharmacies. Attendance at parks, public beaches and gardens, and animal parks decreased by 61%. Residents of the state began to travel by 59% less often on public transport and reduced visits to workplaces by 42%, while staying at home increased by 16%.

New jersey state

Residents of the state began to visit restaurants, cafes and other places of retail and recreation 66% less often, and grocery stores, markets and pharmacies 11% less often. At the same time, the frequency of visits to parks and other places of public walks increased by 26%. There were 67% fewer people on public transport, and 45% fewer people at work. At the same time, New Jersey residents stay in their homes 16% longer.

State of New York

The activity of residents in retail trade and recreation decreased by 59%, the regularity of visits to grocery stores and warehouses, markets, pharmacies decreased by 28%, residents of the state began to visit parks, public beaches, animal parks, public gardens by 11% less often, by 68 The flow of people in public transport decreased by 47% and in workplaces by 15%. At the same time, New Yorkers stay at home XNUMX% longer.

On the subject: How the US and the world plan to return to normal after quarantine

Columbia region

Local residents are 66% less likely to spend time in retail and recreation areas and 33% less likely to visit grocery stores, farmers' markets and pharmacies. The stay in parks and other public recreation areas decreased by 50%, and the congestion of public transport decreased by 71%. Residents of the state began to visit their workplaces 49% less often and stay at home 15% more often.

State of florida

During the reference period, Florida residents visited retail and recreational areas 57% less frequently, grocery stores, markets and pharmacies 33% less frequently, and parks and public recreation areas 70% less frequently. The time spent on public transport has also decreased – by as much as 70%. Residents of the state are at work 45% less often, and at home 15% more often.

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