Numbers Show More North Carolinians Leaving Home Despite Stay-At-Home Order

North Carolina residents may be tiring of social distancing, as numbers show that more people are starting to venture out of the house.

Research from the University of Maryland indicates that North Carolinians left their homes more and traveled longer recently than in the first weeks of a statewide stay-at-home order, which went into effect March 30th. 

The results come from a formula that tracks privacy-protected data from cell phones, government agencies, health care systems, and other sources.

The News & Observer reports North Carolina registered a 45 on the study's latest social distancing index, the lowest score in four weeks. A zero means no social distancing is being observed, while a 100 represents strict adherence to stay-at-home guidelines.

The data indicate that North Carolina residents began traveling less in March and early April. But the weeks of April 10 and April 17 showed a significant drop in social distancing.

Mark McClellan is the director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. He acknowledges that people are getting frustrated with enforced isolation, but says the state's policies have made a substantial impact on slowing the spread of COVID-19.

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