This paper examines the association between state religiosity and population mobility during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We use first-party geo-behavioral data collected through mobile phone operating systems, global positioning systems, and Wi-Fi signals to assess changes in the average median distance traveled by approximately 15,000,000 devices over eight weeks (February 24-April 13) in the contiguous United States. Robust regression results show that more religious states tend to exhibit higher average mobility scores and slower average declines in mobility. Findings also suggest that state stay-at-home orders have a weaker impact on mobility in more religious states.

Objective: Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eventually recommended wearing masks in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the practice has been unevenly distributed in the United States. Methods: In this article, we model county-level infrequent mask usage as a function of three pillars of conservatism: (1) Republican political leadership (percentage of votes for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election), (2) conservative Protestantism (percentage evangelical Christian), and (3) right-wing media consumption (Google searches for Fox News). Results: Our analyses indicate that mask usage tends to be lower in counties with greater support for President Trump (in majority Trump counties), counties with more evangelical Christians, and areas with greater interest in Fox News. Conclusion: Given the effectiveness of masks in limiting the transmission of respiratory droplets, conservative ideological resistance to public health and recommended pandemic lifestyles may indirectly support the spread of the coronavirus. KEYWORDS COVID-19, health behavior, politicsAfter spreading around the world in a matter of months, the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) has become a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University (2021), nearly 600,000 Americans have already died from COVID-19. Although the United States accounts for only 4 percent of the global population, it has contributed 17 percent of all COVID-19 deaths worldwide. In an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2020) have proposed several mitigation strategies like staying home, social distancing, hand sanitizing, and wearing masks or other protective face coverings. The recommendation of wearing masks has been particularly contentious in the United States. Because wearing a mask is so important for public health, we must begin to seriously model this polarization. The fundamental question

We consider the association between state political ideology and population mobility during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We use first-party geo-behavioral data to estimate the average distance traveled by approximately 15,000,000 devices over 10 weeks (February 24, 2020 to April 27, 2020). Regression models with state clustered robust standard errors show lower shelter-in-place rates and higher mobility scores in states with larger percentages of voters who supported Trump in the 2016 presidential election. We also find that shelter-in-place rates increased and mobility scores declined at slower rates in states with greater Trump support. Shelter-in-place rates and average mobility scores were comparable in states governed by Republicans and Democrats. There was some evidence that shelter-in-place rates increased and average mobility scores declined at slower rates in states governed by Republicans. Overall, states with more Trump voters are more resistant to public health recommendations and state stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Objectives: We test whether the association between state religiosity and distance traveled is moderated by population age during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Mobility is operationalized as the state-level average median distance traveled from February 24 to May 4 across the contiguous United States. Shelter-in-place rates are operationalized as the state-level percentage of users staying home. State religiosity is measured with an index of aggregated religious identities, beliefs, and practices. Population age is indicated by the state percentage of adults aged 65 years and older. We model population mobility using regression with state clustered robust SEs. Results: We observe that religious states tend to travel more during the early stages of the pandemic. However, the behavioral risks associated with state religiosity are less pronounced in states with larger older populations. Discussion: We contribute to our understanding of the social patterning of pandemic mobility in aging populations.