Phone Data Shows Efficacy Of Self Isolation
Data reports show how many users are staying home
New findings based on phone data shows that some Canadians are still stepping out of home – in defiance to self-isolation guidelines issued by Canadian government in the interest of public health.
A recent report released by Environics Analytics, a company that aggregates data for analysis by businesses, shows that the many Canadians who are venturing out of their house belong to lower income groups, which may indicate that staying indoors may not be a choice for the people.
Data from the report suggests that the high foot traffic comes from those who are working in essential businesses and services such as frontline workers and first responders, or those who are unable to work from home, like construction workers or grocery staff. Analysts also suggest that part of the reason could be because lower-income groups in urban areas are less likely to respond positively to guidelines from the top.
The report also shows that rural areas show more movement across distance than urban areas – explainable, as businesses catering to basic necessities may be found few and far in between.
Overall, most of Toronto-based data showed a significant decrease in movement on weekends, especially to public areas such as parks, transport stations, and other retail and recreational areas.
