Data from more than 1 million Kinsa thermometers tells the same story across the country: 3 to 7 days after a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order is enacted, fevers in that community start to drop.

I do not envy our elected officials during this unprecedented time. They are being forced to make decisions that pit life vs. livelihood. They are working with public health experts, and are making the choices they believe are best, but without the necessary data to confirm whether their tough decisions are having a positive impact. But at Kinsa, we can see that while these social distancing mandates are no doubt devastating businesses and workers alike, they are breaking the chain of infection. We must support these efforts. We must continue to stay home and distance ourselves from each other.

Below, Kinsa’s county-level illness data makes a clear point: when schools, restaurants and bars are closed, effectively forcing families into their homes, fevers drop.