Unlike case counts (which are conservative estimates) and death counts (which are delayed and insufficient estimates), COVID-19 hospitalizations provide a stronger metric for evaluating the effectiveness of stay-at-home measures. An analysis of data from four U.S. states (Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, and Virginia)—selected for having at least 7 consecutive days of cumulative hospitalizations before and 17 days following the orders—demonstrated a correlation between the implementation of stay-at-home orders and a subsequent decrease in hospitalizations.