New Interactive Data Tools From Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Provide a Detailed Look at the Socio-Economic Effects of the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
The public now has access to a series of data and analysis resources designed to support and inform long-term COVID-19 recovery efforts across the United States. On May 12, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory released interactive indices, analyses, and maps that provide a detailed understanding of the socio-economic effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Argonne developed these resources to help federal agencies understand where impacts are most acute (down to the county level), and which demographic groups and facets of the economy — employment, housing stability, public sector services — may require recovery support. This data and analysis is helping to guide federal recovery efforts, from informing federal engagement efforts with affected communities to helping target delivery of aid.
This map shows regions — down to the county level — whose local economies may be more adversely affected during medium- to long-term disruptions. Darker colors indicate the least stable counties. (Image by Argonne National Laboratory.)
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One interactive map lets you zoom in on any of the more than 3,000 U.S. counties to instantly generate a shareable report on how, month by month since January 2020, the pandemic has impacted gross domestic product in that particular area. Another map displays the pandemic’s impact on state and local government revenues — important because those bodies often are required to match funds in order to receive federal aid.
Want to know where households are at greater risk of foreclosure or eviction as a result of COVID-19? Click on a Housing Stability Index that reveals the most impacted county in the country: Bronx, New York, where 9% more households are housing insecure than before the pandemic. The County High-Level Economic Recovery and Resilience Index Scorecard calculates which counties within a state are the most (and least) financially vulnerable based on indicators such as government revenue impacts and social vulnerability. The Internet Access Index highlights household accessibility to broadband, providing insight into areas where distance learning or telehealth services may be challenging.
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area.
He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.
