AMES, Iowa -- An Iowa State University study says US states with the highest number of COVID-19 coronavirus cases likely had it before shelter-in-place orders, while people were still commuting to work.
"The longer the amount of space or area that people are commuting in--that's the catchment area for all the potential virus carriers, who you're then concentrating into the job centers" says ISU Economics Professor Peter Orazem.
He says the high use of public transit in densely populated places like New York City also played a role in the rapid spread of cases, especially when compared to states like California where public transportation isn't as heavily used.
"The consequences of their actions look like they're better in California than New York because California didn't have the disease as well established" Orazem says.
He also says states like New York were likely "in trouble before they knew they were in trouble" in the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.