As some governors across the United States have started to ease restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, hopes are soaring that life as Americans knew it might be returning.
In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp has been pushing one of the most aggressive reopening plans in the United States. Barbershops, gyms and nail salons were allowed to reopen Friday, and dine-in restaurant service and movie screenings were freed to resume Monday — despite warnings that, without sufficient testing, the state could see a surge in infections.
In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan envisions a phased reopening — something the federal government also advocates. First small shops could open, and some outdoor recreation could resume, then perhaps restaurants and bars. Phase three, which the administration cautions it has no realistic time frame for reaching, would allow larger social gatherings and high-capacity bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues could reopen.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death. And while many point to a vaccine as the surest path to normal, public health experts see another way that’s no less daunting: millions of more tests, 100,000 or more health workers to track and isolate those exposed to COVID-19, and a seamless data network to coordinate the effort.
“You know when a flood is there and when it’s gone,” said Steven Taylor, a professor at The University of British Columbia who wrote “The Psychology of Pandemics.” He predicts confidence will return when people see others hugging, shaking hands and crowding into elevators — and not getting sick. What about sleepaway camp and freshmen bunking together in dorms and the ever-shrinking seats in economy class?
In China, where the virus emerged late last year, people proven healthy can generally move around within their own cities now — tracked by mobile apps and monitored with temperature checks in public. Germany has seen far fewer deaths than its European neighbors, but life remains curtailed: While it allowed smaller shops to reopen last week, it stuck to strict social-distancing guidelines and continued widely requiring face masks in public.
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