COVID-19 U.S. State Policy Database, 2020-2022 (ICPSR 39377)
Version Date: Oct 29, 2025 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Julia Raifman, Boston University. School of Public Health;
Kristen Nocka, Boston University. School of Public Health;
David K. Jones, Boston University. School of Public Health;
Jacob Bor, Boston University. School of Public Health;
Sarah Lipson, Boston University. School of Public Health;
Jonathan Jay, Boston University. School of Public Health;
Megan Cole, Boston University. School of Public Health;
Noa Krawczyk, New York University;
Emily Benfer, Wake Forest University;
Philip Chan, Brown University;
Sandro Galea, Boston University. School of Public Health
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39377.v1
Version V1
Alternate Title View help for Alternate Title
Summary View help for Summary
The COVID-19 U.S. State Policy Database tracks state policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was created by researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health and includes data on closures, shelter-in-place orders, housing protections, changes to Medicaid and SNAP, physical distancing closures, reopening, and more. Policies included are state-wide directives or mandates, not guidance or recommendations. In order for a policy to be included, it must have applied to the entire state.
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Funding View help for Funding
Subject Terms View help for Subject Terms
Geographic Coverage View help for Geographic Coverage
Smallest Geographic Unit View help for Smallest Geographic Unit
State
Distributor(s) View help for Distributor(s)
Time Period(s) View help for Time Period(s)
Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes
- This study is a curated version of a study on OpenICPSR. For more information, please visit the study page on the OpenICPSR website.
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For additional information on notes, links, and contributors, please see the zip package and README file that accompanies the data.
Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose
To track state policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic within the United States.
Time Method View help for Time Method
Universe View help for Universe
State policies related to COVID-19
Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation
Data Source View help for Data Source
Sources include state mandates, orders, and official governor press releases. All sources are stored at this link.
Mode of Data Collection View help for Mode of Data Collection
Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables
The data includes variables on closures, state of emergencies, physical distancing, reopening, shelter, masks, alcohol and firearms, quarantines, vaccines, housing, food security, healthcare delivery, race, incarceration, unemployment, workplaces, substance use policies, state characteristics, voting by mail, and minimum wages.
HideOriginal Release Date View help for Original Release Date
2025-10-29
Version History View help for Version History
2025-10-29 ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Notes
The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.