MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Friday, a new Vanderbilt University School of Medicine study showed counties of Tennessee hit hardest by COVID-19 - including Shelby County - are recovering the slowest economically.
The study found compared to surrounding counties, fewer people traveled into the Memphis area during the Safer at Home order, and fewer are returning to restaurants and stores now, even with some restrictions lifted.
"Fundamentally our economic problem is a virus problem and I think our report underscores that," Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Associate Professor John Graves said.
That's the key finding for the Memphis area, in a mobility study released Friday by the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. It showed travel into the state's areas most affected by COVID-19 - such as Shelby County - dropped nearly 50% during the peak of the Safer at Home order period in mid-April.
"Areas that have seen the most burden in terms of cases of the Coronavirus, are seeing less economic activity," Graves said.
Graves, a Vanderbilt professor, said the Memphis areas still lags behind surrounding Tennessee areas in late May.
Cell phone tracking data showed Shelby County museum and historical site visits down more than 50%, department store visits down 40%, and restaurant visits down more than 30% compared to this week last year.
"The fact that we are seeing less travel to restaurants and retail establishments right now really underscores the fact that people won't engage in economic activity if they don't feel safe," Graves said.
That's the challenge moving forward for the state's largest cities such as Memphis: containing the COVID-19 spread, while also ensuring confidence and restoring spending and activity.
"We want to keep the virus out in as many communities as possible, not only to keep people healthy, but also to keep the economy healthy," Graves said.
The Vanderbilt University School of Medicine is considering a follow up mobility study sometime this summer to gauge the effects of COVID-19 on tourism and out of state travel into Tennessee.