When will we reopen? Study offers dates for ending COVID-19 shutdowns in each state

Researchers at the University of Washington have published estimates for when every U.S. state can consider safely easing social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.

The model used hospitalizations and deaths from the virus to predict “when US states could safely consider easing current social distancing policies while shifting to robust containment strategies.”

This is the second iteration of estimates the university has released.

“We then use these estimates to identify the date after which the number of COVID-19 infections is predicted to fall below 1 per 1,000,000 people in each location,” the authors of the study wrote in a release. “This date can be viewed as the earliest time that locations could consider easing social distancing restrictions – conditional on containment measures already in place to avert potential resurgence of the virus. Such necessary containment efforts include extensive testing, robust contact tracing and isolation of new cases, and maintaining restrictions on mass gatherings of people.”

According to the latest model, the earliest threshold dates for Montana, Vermont, Alaska, Hawaii and West Virginia to relax social distancing are May 4 to May 10.

Idaho, Ohio, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Maine may start relaxing measures from May 11 to May 17.

California, Nevada, New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Delaware and Indiana could could start easing restrictions from May 18 to May 24.

Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey could start lifting measures from May 25 to May 31.

Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., could start relaxing social distancing from June 1 to June 7.

Utah, Arizona, Texas, Florida, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island may have to wait until June 8 or later to lift restrictions, according to the model.

This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 3:11 PM with the headline "When will we reopen? Study offers dates for ending COVID-19 shutdowns in each state."