It's almost been a year since everything everywhere shut down. The Coronavirus, which would come to be know as COVID-19, swept through the country forcing a lot of new practices in our lives like working from home, wearing a mask, not seeing loved ones in person, sanitizing everywhere you go, and many other things.

COVID-19 also shut down almost every business to close. Those who were deemed essential had to implement different safety protocols, social distance measurements, and capacity limitations which did a number on many local, and nationwide businesses. Things had to change to keep everyone safe until a cure or vaccine was developed and distributed.

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Almost a full year later, things are starting to look better. Vaccines are rolling out throughout the country, and with most Americans following their common sense and local, state and federal COVID-19 guidelines, we are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Businesses are starting to reopen, states are starting to reopen. Even though COVID-19 is still having a large impact, it isn't as bad as we've seen it over the past 11 months. So, as things start to get better, our friends at WalletHub wanted to check-in and see which states remain under tight restrictions and which states are as open as a book.

To find out which states have the fewest coronavirus restrictions, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 14 key metrics. Their data set ranges from whether restaurants are open to whether the state has required face masks in public and workplace temperature screenings.

After sorting all of that our, here is what they found:

Source: WalletHub

Iowa has the fewest COVID-19 restrictions than any other state. According to WalletHub, Iowa is first in every single category (1=fewest, 51=most):

  • 1st – Requirement to Wear a Face Mask in Public
  • 1st – Workplace Temperature Screening
  • 1st – State Guidance on Customer Health Checks at Restaurants
  • 1st – Travel Restrictions
  • 1st – Large Gatherings Restrictions
  • 1st – Strictness of “Shelter in Place” Order
  • 1st – Reopening of Non-Essential Businesses
  • 1st – Reopening of Restaurants and Bars
  • 1st – Working from Home Requirements/Recommendations

Iowa's overall score was 92.38.

Illinois is definitely nowhere near the top of this list. According to WalletHub, Illinois is 30th when it comes to the fewest restrictions. Another way to look at it is Illinois has the 20th most restrictions. Illinois' overall score was 43.44.

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