A dataset describing coronavirus containment measures taken by governments worldwide
--- Update from 4 November 2020 ---
The dataset goes from 23 January 2020, when China announced the first lockdown measures in Wuhan, to 15 November 2020. An interactive map with the same data is available at https://coronavirusmeasures.herokuapp.com/
Here's the methodology:
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No or few containment measures in place.
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Ban on public gatherings, cancellation of major events and conferences. It’s not always easy to know when a country goes from step 0 to step 1. I’ve used public announcements by the government and looked at major sporting and cultural events in the country and when they became cancelled.
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Schools and universities closed. As from the first day of closure, not when the announcement is made. Dates largely match those available from Unesco at the following web address: https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures
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Non-essential shops, restaurants and bars closed. As from the first day of closure, not when the announcement is made.
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Night curfew/Partial lockdown in place. Applied for part of the day (usually at night) or for broad population categories (eg, people aged over 60).
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All-day lockdown. Government requires citizens to shelter in place all day long. Citizens are allowed to come out to buy essential items.
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Harsh lockdown. Citizens are not allowed to come out of their home, even to buy essential items.
Note on the easing of restrictions: The latest version of the dataset includes announcements by governments to ease coronavirus restrictions. It reflects the highest applicable figure for each country. This means that, if a country reopens schools but keeps restaurants shut, it will still be classified as a '3', not a '1'. For a finer analysis of detailed measures against the coronavirus, I encourage you to check other datasets on this page: https://lukaslehner.github.io/covid19policytrackers/
Olivier Lejeune, Paris