Animating a Pandemic

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About the map

This eye-catching animation presents COVID-19 data, in a way you’ve never seen before. Showcasing the spread of coronavirus across the UK, the animation spans 11 months of data and presents an easy-to-consume visual that offers a spatial narrative. Highlighting trends in various parts of the UK, this animation draws attention to local lockdowns, fluctuating case counts and introduction of national restrictions. It’s certainly easier to understand than a never-ending table of statistics!

Why it works

The map uses a technique called Dot Density, which allocates 1 dot on the map to represent 1 positive COVID case. As the numbers begin to increase, the cluster of dots quickly tells a story of the hot and cold spots across the country. The simple customised basemap in addition to the vibrant orange dots makes for a loud and contrasting cartography style, that makes it easy to identify spatial patterns. In addition to the map, there are dynamic text fields showing the date and cumulative case count, which adds to the depth of the animation.

Requirements

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Tips and tricks

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Links & Resources

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Sam Bark, Cartographer

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