How long should we let the economy suffer in order to protect ourselves? Have we been in quarantine long enough? How much time is sufficient?
Let’s start with the presupposition that the economy is suffering. The U.S. shut down its economy with stay -at -home orders to protect health workers and hospitals from overflow. That challenge has been met through government and private industry partnerships. It has also been achieved in huge part by the cooperation of the citizenry. We were caught off guard. Tales of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic have ceased to be passed down. How we are living today is new territory for us. Americans looked to the medical experts and to our government leaders for guidance. They charted a path, but it seems to have become a long and winding road with Destination Freedom and Recovery’s reach beyond our grasp.
Americans work. We build, create, and make stuff. We gave up what we do best to help hospitals and our neighbors. Now, many of us are beginning to suffer financial, medical, emotional, and spiritual woes. As some governors add weeks to the shutdown and other states begin to open up, there is wide disagreement. How long is long enough to let the economy (and us) suffer?
When is the right time to open up businesses again? When will you “feel safe?” Something to ponder…
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. ??
