---
title: "Finding and downloading the COVIDcast data"
url: "https://docs.yugabyte.com/stable/api/ysql/exprs/aggregate_functions/covid-data-case-study/download-the-covidcast-data/"
---

# Finding and downloading the COVIDcast data

How to download data from Carnegie Mellon's COVIDcast project for linear regression analysis using YSQL

Simply follow these step-by-step instructions:

- Create a directory on the computer where you run `ysqlsh` to hold the files for this case study. Call it, for example, *"covid-data-case-study"*.
- Go to the [COVIDcast site](https://covidcast.cmu.edu/ "COVIDcast site") and select the “Export Data” tab. That will bring you to this screen:

<!--THE END-->

![Download the COVIDcast Facebook Survey Data](/images/api/ysql/exprs/aggregate_functions/covid-data-case-study/covidcast-real-time-covid-19-indicators.png "Download the COVIDcast Facebook Survey Data")

- **In Section #1**, *“Select Signal”*, select *“Facebook Survey Results”* in the *“Data Sources”* list and select *“People Wearing Masks”* in the *“Signals”* list.
- **In Section #2**, *“Specify Parameters”*, choose the range that interests you for *“Date Range”* (This case study used *"2020-09-13 - 2020-11-01"*.) Select *“States”* for the *“Geographic Level”*.
- **In Section #3**, *"Get Data”* hit the *“CSV”* button.
- **Then repeat**, leaving all choices unchanged except for the choice in the *“Signals”* list. Select *“COVID-Like Symptoms”* here.
- **Then repeat again**, again leaving all choices unchanged except for the choice in the *“Signals”* list. Select *“COVID-Like Symptoms in Community”* here.
  
  This will give you three files with names like these:
  
  ```
  covidcast-fb-survey-smoothed_wearing_mask-2020-09-13-to-2020-11-01.csv
  covidcast-fb-survey-smoothed_cli-2020-09-13-to-2020-11-01.csv
  covidcast-fb-survey-smoothed_hh_cmnty_cli-2020-09-13-to-2020-11-01.csv
  ```
  
  The naming convention is obvious. The names will reflect your choice of date range.
- Create a directory called *"csv-files*" on your *"covid-data-case-study"* directory and move the `.csv` files to this from your *"downloads"* directory. Because you will not edit these files, you might like to make them all read-only to be sure that you don't make any accidental changes when you use a text editor or a spreadsheet app to inspect them.