As a response to the current coronavirus outbreak, the United States has created a mandatory stay-at-home order. This was done in order to prevent the spread of the virus. As we near the end of the second month of this quarantine, many are anxious to get back to the normal routine. Two students give their opinion on whether or not it is advisable to reopen the country.
The United States Should Keep Everything Closed
By: Robert Zohar (10th Grade)
Quarantine is an important step in stopping the spread of the Coronavirus. The reason I think places should remain closed right now is so people have less of an excuse to go out and possibly get infected. Some have said that the beaches are the safest place to be. However, that is not true at all. The amount of people at the beach is not normal. If one person has the disease at the beach, there is the potential of infecting everyone else there. Another reason people should stay at home is because many people may come into contact with elderly people, making up one eighth of the population, who are the most at risk of catching COVID19. Also, young babies, who have still developing immune systems, are also at risk of catching Corona. We need to be careful, because there are many risks of reopening too early with this epidemic.
Another risk in opening too quickly is causing a potential second wave which could potentially be worse than the first one. This can cause more cases, and deaths worldwide. We already have 3,798,381 cases and 262,992 deaths worldwide, do we want to risk more? Another problem with opening the country too early is the economy crashing. Our economy would crash because it is reliant on the supply and demand system. If we reopen too soon, this could topple and crash the United States into an issue that the country does not need or want.
Finally, people do not even need to leave because the government has been helping families who are stuck at home. A stimulus bill of 8 trillion dollars helping families who cannot work was enacted. The government has also passed a bill to help small businesses and people in low-income areas. The government is also helping by ensuring that companies help deliver to people infected with the Coronavirus.
With all that is being done, we can make sure we have a healthier, happier, and safer society. We do not need to reopen too soon, we have everything we need at home.
The United States Should Reopen Everything
By: Emanuel Barkagan (10th Grade)
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued the "Stay at Home Order" over a month ago. This was done as a way to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Aside from the psychological effects of this quarantine, this costs the economy trillions of dollars. Florida and the United States as a whole need to reopen the stores and public areas.
The alternative to opening is staying closed and continuing this quarantine. Studies show that an extended quarantine can lead to many psychological issues for people, including loneliness and depression. While quarantining causes a reduced risk of contracting the Coronavirus, the isolated individuals are suffering mentally.
Furthermore, the economy as a whole is in critical condition. According to Business Insider, The U.S. economy is on track for its worst quarter since 1945. It is expected that U.S. gross domestic product, the GDP, will fall 33.5% in the second quarter amid the Coronavirus pandemic. An economic crisis like this, which is causing many Americans to lose their jobs and livelihoods, is far worse than risking a small fraction of the population. It is important to remember that the vast majority of people will not die from this virus, and that many of the infected are asymptomatic.
With all of this said, the old and immunocompromised should continue to stay home as they are at a much greater risk than their younger counterparts. This will not affect the economy, as the majority of elderly people are retired, and hence not working. This route, known as herd immunity, was considered by major countries such as the United Kingdom and United States. The U.S. decided against this, because they predicted too many casualties would occur. However, the government's anticipation is often wrong, as I think it is in this case. As an example, the White House predicted 240K would die as a result of the pandemic. So far, only 70K have died, with 100K expected total.
This is why we must re-open. The disease in front of us is hurting us mentally and economically. If we shelter our old and weak, we will have very little fatalities and our minds and livelihoods will no longer suffer. It is imperative that we open immediately to prevent further damage.