Maps have become a critical focal point for educating the public regarding the spread of COVID-19 across the world. The next stage in this global crisis will be navigating a path to recovery and maps will play and are playing an essential role.
Maps and correlated graphical analysis are being used to identify emerging COVID-19 hotspots as well as the latest innovation - which is assessing changing degrees of movement over time in the context of stay-at-home orders. Companies including HERE, TomTom and Mapbox have facilitated this analysis - even going so far as to highlight popular gathering points - such as parks in the U.K. spotlighted by TomTom data used by the Financial Times to highlight the resistance to social distancing in the U.K.
The New York Times highlighted the varying degrees of social distancing and movement in its report: "Where America Didn't Stay Home, Even as the Virus Spread."
MapMyIndia shared a map (above) during a Webcast Wednesday showing not only where people were infected or dying but also where to get tested or treated or to obtain other assistance. A more micro-level initiative is illustrated in Brazil where a local digital media company has created an online resource for helping connect people living near Florianopolis needing help with local service providers and small businesses.
SOURCE: https://floripaemcasa.com.br/
As we plot our course to salvation, maps will play a critical role in helping governments assess and manage the crisis. Maps will help inform populations regarding the scope and proximity of the crisis and the progress of counter measures. Maps will help people find help, and assist small businesses in connecting with customers.
Maps will help us understand that we are all connected, that borders are not barriers, and that help is often only a short distance and a phone call or email or a click away. We all need to chart our physical and mental path to recovery - maps and tests and data will show the way.
Here are some further resources:
Examples from TomTom:
Wall Street Journal - Road and Transit Use Falls, Hinting at Declining Commercial Activity (see attached Word document)
The Economist - Tracking the economic impact of COVID-19 in real time
Wired - Hidden data is revealing the true scale of the coronavirus outbreak
UK
Financial Times: Coronavirus economic tracker: latest global fallout
Financial Times: Britons flock to parks despite lockdown
The Times: Speeding drivers let off by overstretched police
The Times: London drivers still clogging the streets
Daily Mail: London drivers make MORE unnecessary journeys than those in Paris, Madrid and New York with roads still jam-packed full of traffic despite lockdown
Daily Mail: Get off the road! Health chiefs warn the public to stay at home after 'concerning' INCREASE in road traffic despite lock-down and police efforts to stop unnecessary journeys
MailOnline: Sadiq Khan STILL blames commuters for packed Tubes - despite being forced to watch video on GMB of key workers jammed together during rush-hour
This is Money: London drivers make MORE unnecessary journeys than those in Paris, Madrid and New York with roads still jam-packed full of traffic despite lockdown
Yahoo News: Concerning’ rise in UK traffic despite lockdown rules
AOL: Concerning’ rise in UK traffic despite lockdown rules
Highways Industry: Official figures show rise in road traffic during UK lockdown
Express & Star: ‘Concerning’ rise in UK traffic despite lockdown rules
Netherlands
NRC Handelsblad – Rush hour doesn’t exist since corona, apart from that one beach day
Australia
ABC News – The Lockdown Effect
Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney's peak hour traffic congestion falls 60 per cent
India
The Hindu Business Life: Coronavirus impact: Pollution levels fall across Europe, China
Germany
Berliner Zeitung – The car: Winner of the corona-crisis?
Abendzeitung München – Data show: "Social Distancing" works that well in Munich
Oberösterreichische Nachrichten - 15 times more vehicle retirements
Rheinische Post - Better air values due to corona crisis
Der Tagesspiegel - Does the corona virus really cause less air pollution?
Die neue Presse Hannover - The Corona statistics: So much less is going on in Hannover city
Allgemeine Zeitung - Traffic in Corona times: fewer traffic jams, fewer accidents
Salzburg24.at - Fewer motor vehicle claims, more shutdowns
Spiegel online - That’s why petrol and diesel are still expensive
Hamburger Abendblatt - Car traffic rolls largely congestion-free in Hamburg
WDR - Empty inner cities, open streets: Prohibition of contact shows effect
RTS - Significant effects of coronavirus measures on traffic in Swiss cities
Welt online - This is revealed by the mobility data on the effectiveness of the corona measures
Rbb - Car drivers and pedestrians: How Berlin's traffic has changed in recent days
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung - Corona crisis: traffic in Hannover down by almost a quarter
Energieverbraucherportal - Worldwide standstill due to Covid-19: breathing space for climate and environment
Hamburger Morgenpost - Coronavirus in Hamburg - Buses, trains, streets: Hamburg is really that empty
France
Le Parisien : Paris at a standstill, other French cities still slightly moving
Auto Plus: Lockdown: spectacular traffic drop in France
Le Progrès : Lockdown – Day 11
Poland
Rp.pl – We have less cars on the roads by a half
Logistyka.rp.pl - We have less cars on the roads by a half
Lovekrakow.pl - Safe on Cracow's roads. The accident statistics positively surprise
US & CANADA
FoxNews - Here's how much traffic congestion has decreased due to the coronavirus crisis
Fox Chicago - New maps illustrate effect of stay-at-home order on Chicagoland traffic
Houston Chronicle - Why social distancing could send fuel demand to record decline
CBS Chicago - Coronavirus By The Numbers: Traffic Congestion, Crashes, Fall Across Chicago
The Detroit Bureau - Automaker Response to Coronavirus Pandemic
The Detroit Bureau - Silver Lining? Coronavirus Pandemic Slashes Traffic, Sends Gas Prices Tumbling
Houston Chronicle - With Americans staying home, gasoline demand poised to plummet, experts say
MSN News US - Gasoline is cheap. Americans can't take advantage
The Drive - Tesla Declared 'Essential Business' to keep Factory Running; Model Y Deliveries Begin
Wall Street Journal - Road and Transit Use Falls, Hinting at Declining Commercial Activity
Crain's New York - City traffic levels plummet 35% following new executive orders
Bloomberg - Traders Turn to TomTom for Clues on China's Commodity Demand
Bloomberg - Global Oil Use Heads for Record Annual Drop as Virus Spreads
Reuters - From coal to cars - what big data is China tracking to put virus-hit businesses back on track?
Reuters - More traffic, night lights who China’s factories restart as new virus cases drop
Boston Globe - Auto traffic and MBTA ridership are down as coronavirus fear spreads
DataTrek - Mass Quarantines Vs. Work From Home
Reuters - U.S. gasoline refining profits slump to 2008 levels amid coronavirus fears
The Hill - Coronavirus offers reprieve from air pollution
UPI - Emissions Drops Seen as NYC, Global Traffic Levels Dive Amid COVID-19 Fears
The Dallas Morning News - Dallas-Fort Worth traffic lightens as businesses close, more people work from home