Read in The New York Times

After weeks of shutdown because of the coronavirus pandemic, the nation has begun to slowly open up.

Beaches and state parks are reopening to visitors, spurring concerns about overcrowding. The first barbers have returned to work, masks over their faces. Some restaurants are getting ready to serve customers again.

About half of the states have begun to reopen their economies and public life in some meaningful way, though health experts have expressed concern that a premature opening could lead to a spike in coronavirus infections that would not be detected in official case counts for weeks. Many areas are still seeing cases grow, and the number of known deaths related to coronavirus in the United States has passed 70,000.

The New York Times is tracking when orders to stay at home are lifted in each state, as well as when broad reopenings are allowed in public spaces, such as restaurants, retail stores, salons, gyms and houses of worship. In some cases, stay-at-home orders are lifting separately from restrictions on businesses. This page will be updated regularly.

Businesses are almost universally reopening under restrictions, such as allowing fewer customers, requiring workers and customers to wear masks, and enforcing social distancing. Even as governors lift orders, stricter local orders may remain in place by city or county.

Methodology

The New York Times is tracking the status of stay-at-home orders in each state and the reopening of major public spaces. Those spaces include restaurants and bars, retail stores, entertainment venues, gyms, houses of worship, personal care businesses (such as salons and barbers), public outdoor spaces (such as beaches and parks), and certain industries and office environments. A state is categorized as “reopening” once its stay-at-home order lifts, or once reopening is permitted in at least one major sector (restaurants, retail stores, personal care businesses), or once reopening is permitted in a combination of smaller sectors that would allow many people to go out in public. States may shift categories as conditions change, or to account for changes in the national landscape.

In the coronavirus case tallies shown on this page, The Times is including cases that have been identified by public health officials as probable coronavirus patients.

Source: State governments, executive orders, local news reports. State-level coronavirus case data is from a New York Times database of reports from state and local health agencies and hospitals.