Health & Fitness
MA Has Third Most Stringent Coronavirus Restrictions: Report
The state's mask mandate, business closures and travel restrictions make it one of the most restrictive in the coronavirus fight.
MASSACHUSETTS — Mask wearing has been mandated in some form since May in Massachusetts. Restaurants and bars closed for a time, gyms shut down, and travel restrictions limited who could come in and out of the state.
These restrictions helped Massachusetts earn the spot as the third most restrictive state in the country in a recent WalletHub report. California earned the top spot, with Virginia following behind. Oklahoma is the least restrictive state, the study found.
The ranking was decided based on factors—including mask mandates, gathering restrictions, and statewide school restarts—that were each given a weight.
Find out what's happening in Across Massachusettsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The regions with the most restrictive policies were:
- California
- Virginia
- Massachusetts
- District of Columbia
- New Mexico
- Washington
- Vermont
- North Carolina
- Hawaii
- Illinois
Find out what's happening in Across Massachusettsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The regions with the fewest restrictions were:
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Iowa
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Utah
- Missouri
- Wisconsin
- Alaska
- South Carolina
The researchers at WalletHub looked at the correlation between state restrictions and death rate, and state restrictions and unemployment, but found no significant correlation.
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