Opening Too Soon
The tension between public safety and a robust economy has never been more apparent.
In this photo illustration, a COVID-19 Unemployment Assistance Updates logo is displayed on a smartphone on top of an application for unemployment benefits on May 8, 2020, in Arlington, Virginia. – With shops and factories closed nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, nearly all of the jobs created in the US economy in the last decade were wiped out in a single month. An unprecedented 20.5 million jobs were destroyed in April in the world’s largest economy, driving the unemployment rate to 14.7 percent compared to 4.4 percent in March, the Labor Department said in its monthly report, the first to capture the impact of a full month of the lockdowns. (Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)
May 25, 2020
Right now, one of the biggest fears is the US going to a recession and more people dying due to COVID-19. Americans don’t want to face another recession, but watching family members, co-workers, and friends die is not something they want to see either.
Right now, it is being left to states to decide whether or not to open. In some cases, opening up now may cause a spike in cases, which can lead to more deaths. Other states may be better off due to the fact that they have had fewer exposed.
But based on recent studies, COVID-19 is expected to last anywhere between 18-24 months until a vaccine is created or in other terms 50% of the population becomes infected. At present, there have been over 100,000 deaths in the US. The total number of cases in the U.S. is well over 1.76 million.
Global infections currently stand at almost 6 million. With such a high number of people infected, being able to jump-start economies without fear of infecting other people has become near impossible. Economies across the world have begun to crumble, making countries like France, Italy, Canada, Japan, and most recently Germany fall into a recession.
In the US, the economy has been slowing down significantly. Currently, 40 million Americans are unemployed due to the pandemic. In other terms, the US had 3.5% of unemployment in February and now has skyrocketed to 14.7%, marking an 11.1% increase.
2021 is looking to be a recessionary year. According to The Hill, the US will have a budget deficit of over one trillion this 2020, far greater than the recession brought in 2008.
Needless to say, there is a need to boost the US economy and get the 36 million Americans back to work. However, the fear of spreading the virus even more is at hand. The fear of opening up the US may result in more deaths, and if the economy isn’t opened up, then economic fallout may worsen.
Currently, all states are moving to a reopening plan to help boost the economy and also keep Americans safe. States like Pennsylvania have counties color-coded with restrictions listed. Civilians are being asked to use a mask when out in public and stay six feet away from one another.
Sure enough, a boost in the economy is well needed, although bills being passed have done too little to the population. The Heroes Act would have benefited “college students, children over 17, disabled relatives and a taxpayer’s parent,” but once it reached the Senate, and President Trump, it was quickly shut down.
Hopefully, a stimulus check that works for all people who are affected can revive employment. Additionally, states can continue to reopen safely instead of having fear of the virus to start another wave in the fall.
