Reopen in May: Better Now Than Later
by Cage Hawley
By warding off sickness, we are killing ourselves.
President Donald Trump unveiled “Guidelines for Opening up America Again” April 16, a set of standards for states to meet before reopening their economies. During the same week, 4.4 million more Americans filed for unemployment as more non-essential businesses shut down due to the current coronavirus pandemic. Judging from the available data, reopening is necessary to avoid the next Great Depression. As long as state governors follow Trump’s guidelines and use their best judgment, they can safely reopen their states starting this month.
Currently, the economy is completely crumbling, and temporary solutions like stimulus checks merely serve as unsustainable band-aids for the gash of unemployment. The International Monetary Fund has reported that our economy will likely depress by three percent this year. In contrast, the devastating 2008 recession caused a contraction of only one percent. More alarmingly, the recent Department of Labor report showed the unemployment rate approaching 20 percent, twice the 10 percent in 2008. Since the 2008 unemployment crisis did not recover until 2016, our current decline will likely take even longer to recoup.
More importantly, the cost of the stimulus program which was approved in March is already a tremendous burden. The Washington Post reported that the $349 billion loan approved for small businesses was depleted in only two weeks. On top of that hefty bill, the government simply cannot support more than 26 million unemployed citizens since the pandemic’s insurgence. These people will remain devastated, unable to pay for rent and bills without some level of economic reopening.
In addition to encouraging economic stabilization, White House guidelines promote the recommended curve flattening. The first requirement before the implementation of reopening phases is 14 consecutive days of decreases in coronavirus cases. The White House has affirmed that its three-phase plan is based on counsel from public health professionals, including residential medical advisors Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci. Thus, a 14-day pattern of decrease is an apt indicator for a strong downturn in infection rate.
Moreover, the states make the final decision. If some states feel that their hospitals and testing abilities may not be able to accommodate possible surges, they can choose to delay the reopen. While some criticize Trump’s plan as “vague,” this characteristic is by design. Considering that the 50 states have drastically varying numbers of coronavirus cases ranging from under 1,000 to over 300,000, allowing governors to decide for their respective states is more prudent than imposing a national guideline. Furthermore, as states work to increase testing rates, businesses are also contributing to the effort. Walgreens, Kroger and Walmart announced that their stores will offer free tests, which make self-testing easier.
Although often overlooked, deteriorating mental health during the pandemic is devastating the United States in a manner comparable to our decaying economy. According to The Hill, calls to the Disaster Distress Helpline increased 333 percent between February and March. Although unemployment has mostly impacted adults, teenagers are especially prone to alarming mental health issues. According to Amy Learmonth, president of the Eastern Psychological Association, physical isolation from peer groups caused by current social distancing could damage adolescents’ ability to form meaningful relationships in the future. With the mental well-being of the citizens in mind, we must return to normalcy as soon as possible.
Undoubtedly, we need to get back to work. Trump’s plan details a malleable approach to a much-needed economic reopen while addressing public safety and healthcare availability. Currently, our methods of curbing the dangers of mass-unemployment amount to little more than shoddy patchwork. Staying quarantined, unemployed and depressed deteriorates our economy and eventually us.
Stay Closed: Lives Matter More
by Andrew Sung
The United States must not prioritize dollars over lives.
As of May 7, 62,359 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in California alone. Overall, the United States has more than one million cases, the most in the world. But the worst is yet to come. A recent model from the University of Washington has predicted about 135,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the nation through the beginning of August. During this critical time of the pandemic, we must especially prioritize public health goals instead of hastily forcing the reopening of our economy.
President Donald Trump has p u b l i s h e d a plan to reopen the economy as soon as May, but his plan lacks detailed instructions for governors. According to the plan, governors decide whether their states are ready to reopen. However, the plan cannot ensure that all fifty state governors are consulting with health experts beforehand and keeping public health concerns in mind. Without a clear, systematic approach in deciding when a state should reopen businesses, reopening the economy in May is anything but wise.
Currently, the lack of widespread testing in states prevents governors from safely deciding when their states should reopen. Out of roughly 330 million people living in the United States, only about seven million have been tested for coronavirus, a mere two percent of the entire population. Before reopening, the testing rate must be drastically increased so that the virus’s spread can be easily tracked and contained. Then, governors and mayors will be able to make better, informed public health decisions.
But some states, especially the most overwhelmed, may not be able to purchase the necessary number of test kits and set up testing centers without assistance from the federal government. While Maryland’s governor was able to spend $9 million to purchase 500,000 testing kits from South Korea, not every state has enough financial resources to not only pay for the kits but also lab tests. Charity efforts may help, but they are not sufficient to test the majority of 330 million people in the United States and put down a rapidly spreading virus.
By reallocating a significant portion of the $2 trillion stimulus package towards public health, the federal government can drastically improve the monitoring of the virus and eventually relieve the overwhelmed health care capacity.
Indeed, the United States government must ensure that its economic plans uphold public health goals. With over 26 million Americans who have filed jobless claims due to business shutdowns and millions of businesses that have asked for financial aid, the federal government is under immense pressure to distribute funds to all those that need it. However, in the long run, funds to increase testing rate and better prepare states’ public health sectors will help the nation during the potentially deadlier second outbreak this winter.
At this critical moment, making hasty decisions without thoroughly considering the consequences will cause the coronavirus to overwhelm the nation. While plans to reopen the economy should continue to be in the works, ensuring the public health of the nation must be our top priority in the following months. Prioritizing money over the lives of Americans by reopening the economy before the nation is ready is not only counterintuitive; it is foolish.