Lifted Stay at Home Orders: Some states end their lockdowns

After the national lockdown for the coronavirus, several states, such as Georgia and Oklahoma, have lifted the stay at home order and reopened. 

Considering the state of Georgia still has 766 pending cases as of May 4, it’s ridiculous for them to start opening up stores, restaurants and movie theaters — even if they aren’t at full capacity.

While it’s unfortunate but probably better for us in the long run, Governor Laura Kelly chose to extend Kansas’s lockdown until May 10 — still no trips to the mall, sleepovers with your friends or meals at dine-in restaurants. It’s concerning and disappointing how states are opening up at different times, even as the number of cases are still rising and there’s a chance of going back to base zero since some states couldn’t wait. 

Even though I can’t wait to hangout with my friends and get my nails done on May 10, I question how the virus numbers will fluctuate.

Georgia lifted their stay at home orders on April 30, opening up local gyms, movie theaters, bowling alleys, barber shops, hair salons and even dine-in restaurants. It makes me wonder how the people in Georgia feel — some glad they are allowed to be out and about, and others upset that citizens are selfishly spreading their germs.

Not only have the people in states like Georgia jumped at the opportunity of going to local cinemas to see the latest Batman movie, but the people in Oklahoma have as well. My cousin who lives in Oklahoma sent me a photo of her freshly painted nails the other day —  and oh how jealous I was. But I know that being at home means I’m not picking up any germs that were most likely left behind from the previous customers — we all need to stay safe until the numbers are dropping.

With people all of the sudden hanging out, giving hugs, getting their nails done and heading out for a new haircut, it’s my prediction that the numbers of Covid-19 will spark rapidly.

Though the numbers will increase, I understand they can’t keep people away from each other forever. The economy will struggle big time if it stays this way for too much longer. More and more jobs will be lost and the financial crisis will only get worse. It seems to me that at this rate the virus will always be here unless they come up with a vaccine, which they probably won’t have for awhile. 

The states that were quick to lift stay at home orders should probably hold their horses and ease into the process of reopening like Kansas. Maybe there could even be different phases created, and the state wouldn’t be able to move to the next phase until numbers get better.

The states should be more unified in their decisions to reopen so that people commuting to other states don’t spread the virus further. I mean we’re all about to be left with DIY haircuts and binge eating problems due to quarantine, so we want things to open up soon. But we need to know for sure that it can be opened safely or we’ll be right back at our starting point.