Reopening the United States2 min read

People across the United States are appealing to the government to allow them to “open” their states once again, but the question remains: are they ready?

In some states, the number of coronavirus cases has begun to level off; however, states like New Jersey and New York continue to see a consistent and unforgiving death toll.

The whole country has seen harsh economic ramification of the pandemic as it has forced several businesses to close their doors. According to the Charlotte Observer, “More than 730,000 North Carolina residents have filed unemployment claims since March 15.”

Additionally, they also stated that the numbers of people who have committed suicide, taken part in drug and alcohol abuse, or have been victims of domestic violence has increased.

In short, there are many things that threaten the people of this country aside from the virus. This being said, when this is all over, what will the country look like, and how will we heal?

There are several businesses who are aiming to reopen as soon as they are given the okay. They have plans in place to prevent the spread of the virus. The question is, how practical are these plans?

Disney World’s reopen plans seem less than feasible. According to Wesh 2, “One way to achieve [safety] will be limiting attendance which allows for social distancing.” Is it possible for the resort which receives over 50 million visitors each year to succeed at a social distance plan?

Smaller visitor attractions additionally argue that they will put in social distancing rules when they reopen. According to CNBC, “Beaches may reopen, but visitors must maintain 6 feet of separation from others.” Who is going to survey that people are adhering to the 6 feet rule?

We certainly cannot rely on the people attending the beaches to enforce the rules themselves, as proved by the Florida spring breaker who went viral when he said about the virus, “At the end of the day, I’m not going to let it stop me from partying.”

With these unanswered questions, it seems like it may be too soon to reopen the country; or, at least, it may be too soon to reopen nonessential places that gather large populations of people.

The ramifications of the county staying closed cannot be ignored. The longer business keep their doors closed and the longer people wait to work, the more they suffer economically, physically, and mentally; however, despite the fact that the numbers have leveled out in select states, the virus is still out there, and people are still dying, which is why the solution cannot be rushed.

So what do we do while we wait for the virus to settle, for solutions to be found, and for the right time to start living again? Unfortunately, there is no good answer for these questions. We live in much uncertainty, so all we can do is hold ourselves accountable, take care of each other, and wait.

Photo by Dan Burton on Unsplash