This chart was created using D3.js displaying the Covid-19 death toll rate by state, i.e., across the 50 states & D.C. At the peak of the disease or pandemic back in 2020, it was hard to pinpoint the ground zero of the outbreak. Although the first outbreak was observed on the West coast, especially in Washington state, it was unclear on how the disease spread through the rest of the country. The graph is a mere representation of the death toll in each single state for the year 2020 only, and didn't intend to showcase or study any underlying health conditions associated with the Covid-19 death neither investigating the origins of the outbreak.
This webpage is merely a graphic representation of the 2020 death toll using the "Covid Tracking Project State Data". The users will be able to use this platform as they see fit, whether to investigate the social impact of the disease on communities of color, or use it as a mere resource to keep them abreast of the disease.
Whether we want to explore the social or health or both aspect(s) of this project, the choice is ours.
A new virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified as the cause of a disease outbreak that began in China in 2019. The disease is called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Public health groups, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO, are monitoring the pandemic and posting updates on their websites. These groups have also issued recommendations for preventing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Data has shown that the COVID-19 virus mainly spreads from person to person among those in close contact (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters). The virus spreads by respiratory droplets released when someone infected with the virus coughs, sneezes, breathes, sings or talks. These droplets can be inhaled or land in the mouth, nose or eyes of a person nearby. Sometimes the COVID-19 virus can spread when a person is exposed to small droplets or aerosols that stay in the air for several minutes or hours — called airborne transmission. The virus can also spread if you touch a surface with the virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. But the risk is low. The COVID-19 virus can spread from someone who is infected but has no symptoms. This is called asymptomatic transmission. The COVID-19 virus can also spread from someone who is infected but hasn't developed symptoms yet. This is called presymptomatic transmission. It's possible to get COVID-19 twice or more, but this is uncommon.
COVID-19 symptoms can be very mild to severe. Some people have no symptoms. The most common signs and symptoms are fever, cough, tiredness, and loss of taste or smell. Other signs and symptoms may include shortness of breath, muscle aches, chills, sore throat, headache, chest pain, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. This list is not complete. Other less common symptoms have also been reported. Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency use authorization to some COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, now called Comirnaty, to prevent COVID-19 in people age 16 and older. The FDA has given emergency use authorization to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for ages 5 through 15. The FDA has approved the Moderna vaccine, now called Spikevax, to prevent COVID-19 in people age 18 and older. A vaccine might prevent you from getting COVID-19 or prevent you from becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 if you get the COVID-19 virus.
There are many steps you can take to reduce your risk of infection from the COVID-19 virus and reduce the risk of spreading it to others. WHO and CDC recommend following these precautions:
If you develop symptoms or you've been exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19, contact your health care provider for medical advice. Your health care provider will likely recommend that you get tested for COVID-19. If you have emergency COVID-19 symptoms, such as trouble breathing, seek care immediately. If you need to go to a hospital, call ahead so that health care providers can take steps to ensure that others aren't exposed. Take the following precautions to avoid spreading the virus that causes COVID-19: