Coronavirus in Harris County
A Research on how COVID-19 spreads throughout the zip codes of Harris County
Introduction
Below are a couple of standard maps that show the spread of COVID-19. The reason why it is important to look at cases by zipcode is that the data can show if one area is lacking in adequate supplies or care. The number of cases can vary depending on available care, testing, and how well the stay at home orders are being followed.
According to the World Health Association (WHO), COVID-19 is a new airborne virus that originated in Wuhan, China. With the ability to spread through the air, COVID-19 has spread to all parts of the globe and been labeled a pandemic. It arrived in the United States at the beginning of the year 2020. Since then, COVID-19 has infected over 700,000 people in the U.S. In Texas, the number of cases nearing 20,000 with Harris County contributing 5,000 of those cases. Houston is the fourth largest city in America, so its no surprise its county has that many cases. What I plan to focus on is the zip codes with the highest cases reported in Harris County and find if there are any connections between them.
Research
In Houston, there are four leading zip codes with high case numbers of COVID-19. Two are next to each other, but the rest are more spread out. Why? What is the link between these four zip codes that give them high case numbers? Over time as the virus spreads, more zipcodes will have an increase in cases. When that happens it will be harder to look for connections between areas. At some points, the connection will become insignificant. I want to focus on the time window where very few places have high numbers and why.
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77449 & 77084
Zipcodes 77449 and 77084 are right next to each other and share a lot of the same demographics. The population in both areas near 100k people. According to the United States zip codes data, this area is majority white with house values being in the $100-$150K range. The average household income in both areas is in the $60k range. For the COVID testing, there are three locations near them. Two locations are on the borders between 77449 and 77084, while the last is on the northern border of 77449. A little more than half of the population have a high school diploma as their highest education. For those under 18, 11% are not in school.
77088
In this zip code, the population nears 50K. The racial demographic in this area is more diverse, with black or African descent being having the highest percentage at 48%. The property values are lower than those in 77449 & 77084. The house values are in the $50-100K range. The average household income is in the $40K range. For COVID testing, there are no testing locations in this zipcode. The nearest one is in 77091. The highest education level here is a high school diploma for 51%. For those under 18, 12% are not in school
77090
In 77090, the population nears 33K. the racial demographic is primarily black or African descent at 44%. The property values vary with the majority falling into the $150K-$200K range. The average household income for occupants in 77090 varies with the majority in the $25K-$50K. For COVID testing, there are no testing locations in this area. There are no nearby testing locations. The highest education level here is a high school diploma at 53%. for those under 18, 17% are not in school.
Comparisons
Observation
Comparing the four zip codes, there are not that many similarities. Each zip code has different household incomes and property values. Zip code 77449 has three testing locations while 77090 has none nearby. THis means we need to look at outside factors to find a connection.
In a times article about testing locations for the COVID-19 crisis, it mentioned how some areas might have higher cases due to accessibility to testing or medical care. However, in this case, that does not seem to be the case. Could it be nearby parks or outside entertainment? Or are the people in these areas ignoring stay at home orders?
Further research is needed to find the link between high cases and these locations. As time progresses, more areas will have similar numbers so I will be focusing on these four areas as we progress and learn more about the virus.
Conclusions
Until a vaccine is created for COVID-19, we will be dealing with cases all over the globe and in our own neighborhoods. It is imperative to look at the million angles surrounding the virus on how it spreads and how socioeconomic reasons can affect the transmission of the virus and others like it. I examined four different reasons why some zip codes were hit more hard at the beginning of the pandemic, but there could be a thousand other reasons.
In the first map, I plotted the drive-thru testing locations to check if they are unevenly placed in Harris County. While more populated areas need more testing locations, there shouldn't be inaccessibility for those in less densely populated areas. As shown in the map, there are several areas with high cases but low testing locations.
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In the second map, I plot trails and parks in the county. During this time of Stay-at-Home orders being placed on states and communities, many people have protested. there has been an increase in outdoor activity, which can increase the likelihood of the virus spreading in areas. All four locations have trails nearby, however, there is not enough evidence to support the claim. If such were the case there would be more cases in the areas where all the trails are.
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