In March 2020, the president declares a nationwide emergency and the country begins to shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Air Quality Index levels across the country are down as less people are traveling.
In December 2020, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine. After the one year anniversary of the breakout, states have rolled out re-opening plans and people are beginning to travel again. As a result, Air Quality Index levels are higher.
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About the Air Quality Index: Learn More Download the raw AQI data from the EPA here
The EPA developed the AQI, which reports levels of ozone, particle pollution, and other common air pollutants on the same scale. An AQI reading of 101 corresponds to a level that is above the national air quality standard—the higher the AQI rating, the greater the health impact.
Note: The Air Quality Index (AQI) data in this visualization is grouped by Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) and is a monthly average of daily summary data from the EPA.
CBSA as defined by the US Census Bureau: Learn More
The 2010 standards provide that each CBSA must contain at least one urban area of 10,000 or more population. The general concept of a metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area is that of a core area containing a substantial population nucleus, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core. As of March 2020, there are 384 metropolitan statistical areas and 543 micropolitan statistical areas in the United States.