Upcoming Events
Master's Thesis Defense - Department of Geography & Geoinformation Science
Mar 28, 2024, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Exploratory Hall, Room 2304 (GGS Conference Room)
or via Zoom: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/5752247897
Candidate: Tyler Cook
Master of Science in Geoinformatics and Geospatial Intelligence
Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science
Title: The Economic Effect of COVID-19 on Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Committee:
Thesis Director: Dr. Timothy Leslie
Committee Members: Dr. Nathan Burtch, Dr. Taylor Anderson
ABSTRACT:
Several key findings were discovered through these analyses to determine the
economic changes experienced by these MSAs and what influenced those changes
The COVID-19 pandemic created an economic crisis never seen before in our
globally interconnected society. A highly infectious respiratory disease coupled with
lockdown measures and consumer spending habit changes had severe impacts on key
sectors of the United States. This research assessed the economic impact and government
response of the COVID-19 pandemic on metropolitan statistical areas. Multiple analyses
were conducted in this research to assess the pandemic influenced economic impact.
They are Getis-Ord* Hot Spot Analysis, Negative Binomial Regression, Ordinary Least
Squares Regression, and a prediction of excess unemployment using the Farrington
Surveillance Algorithm. This research identified economic changes experienced by
MSAs and what influenced those changes. Characteristics of MSAs vulnerable to
extended unemployment times and excess unemployment are high populations of retail
jobs, high levels of income inequality, high education rate, and high vaccination rate.
Surprisingly beneficial characteristics of MSAs to excess unemployment included high
populations of construction jobs and healthcare workers. Finally, this research identified
that PPP loan assistance did not appear to be targeted at jobs and companies in the most
vulnerable industries like retail and food services.