Online data and surveys enhance policy-making

Significance

Their research highlights some important areas where, amid considerable state-by-state variation, governments have opted to close some locations that are highly beneficial and low-risk, while keeping open others that are high-risk and low-benefit.

Impacts

• Research suggests that there is little difference between the optimal reopening order in urban areas compared to suburban or rural areas.
• Data-driven frameworks will increasingly be used to calculate the danger and importance of locations and to inform decision-making.
• Smartphone and consumer survey data will be better at measuring wellbeing than GDP, as more paid physical goods become free digital goods.