Lockdowns Creeping In
The situation is not getting any better in the United States, and panic struck governors are now looking for ways to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus. The COVID-19 cases across the US surged to their highest levels since the advent of the pandemic, the governors are now concerned about the consequences once winter sets in. With the holiday season, and people gathering to celebrate the festivals, the number of cases is likely to rise.
Gearing up for the potential impact, governors are now resorting to stringent lockdowns – which means severe restrictions to curb the movement of Americans, limiting the places they can visit the people they can see.
The restrictions started creeping, beginning with Washington – where wakes and funeral receptions are completely banned. The number of people attending a funeral has been capped to 30. Furthermore, youth sports can conduct only intra-squad practices. In all circumstances, masks are mandated. While several states are promoting remote work as much as possible, Michigan has called for stay-at-home classes by completely halting in-person classes for high schools and colleges.
As the situation gets out of control, restrictions similar to the early stages of the pandemic are being imposed. Washington governor Jay Inslee released an emphatic statement saying that these restrictions are not going to be easy on workers and businesses. While he mentioned that the impact caused by these restrictions would not be taken lightly, he also mentioned that Americans cannot enjoy a full economic recovery unless and until this virus is completely dealt with.
Not all Americans are in favor of tightening restrictions. While most of them acknowledged the threat of the virus, they also expressed outright displeasure over the governors’ decision to restrict movement and shut down businesses. They also mentioned how the vaccine was on its way, and it will be put to use once approved for usage. This fact cannot be completely dismissed, considering the hopeful news about the vaccines that Pfizer and Moderna have reported in the past week.
However, across the states, governors are leaving no stone unturned to ensure they control the spread of the virus in their respective states. Calling for expert advice, governors are issuing stringent guidelines, including mandatorily wearing masks in public spaces. While people are still apprehensive about these mandates, the governors are doing everything possible to try to get people to follow these guidelines – right from requesting to encouraging and even following the norms themselves to set an example for the people.
A national lockdown does not seem to be on the cards any time soon, as Biden’s advisers have clearly set it aside as a ‘measure of last resort’. All hopes are now pinned on the situation improving with the restrictions imposed in the states, so the ‘measure of last resort’ need not be implemented at all.
