Covid: Dorset residents are spending time outdoors during lockdown

The report, which was published on January 22, looks at retail and recreation, supermarket and pharmacy, parks, public transport, workplaces and residential areas.

Compared to the last report which was published on January 17, people are spending more time in parks and retail areas.

Google's most recent findings for Dorset are as follows:

• Retail and recreation

Shaftesbury by Andrew Thorne

There has been a marginal increase in time spent in retail and recreation areas, with the previous figure standing at -65 per cent.

The latest report, however, states that time spent in retail and recreation now stands at -63 per cent.

• Parks

Poole Park by Nicky Wicks

Time spent in parks and other outdoor spaces such as public beaches and gardens has seen a nine per cent increase.

In the previous report there was a one per cent increase.

In the latest report, there is a10 per cent increase compared to the baseline.

• Supermarket and pharmacy

The supermarket and pharmacy category has seen a a 22 per cent decease compared to the baseline.

Guidance from the government details how only essential retail such as food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, building merchants and suppliers of building products and off-licences can remain open.

However, people are being urged to stay in their homes, so the number of people visiting these places in Dorset remains low.

• Public transport 

Morebus (Image: Newsquest)

To minimise the risk of infection and because the majority of people are staying at home, public transport in Dorset is not being frequently used.

The latest mobility report details a 53 per cent decrease compared to the baseline.

• Workplaces

A small number of people in Dorset are spending more time in their workplaces, according to the latest report.

There has been a 49 per cent decrease in the time spent in workplaces.

In the prior report there was a 50 per cent decrease.

• Residential 

The number of people spending time in residential areas remains the same, with a 19 per cent decrease compared to the baseline.

The baseline is the median value, and the report shows trends over several weeks, with the most recent data representing approximately two to three days before the report’s publication date.