In only a few days, millions of Americans have been asked to do what might have been unthinkable only a month ago. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) has forced many Americans to abandon their schools and jobs to remain in their homes in abidance to state and local Shelter-In-Place orders.
What We Know:
- The beginning of such directives to keep massive amounts of the population at home started with the hard hit state of California in mid-March, and has soon swept the nation.
- By Thursday, a vast majority of states, counties, and cities have instructed residents to stay at home in a desperate race against time and resources in halting the spread of the coronavirus.
- This means at least 297 million people in at least 38 states, 48 counties, 14 cities, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are being urged to stay home.
- Despite the rapid action of most states, some including Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, have yet to enact any orders as of Thursday. In Texas, the largest state without a statewide mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott has left it to mayors and county officials to manage their residents.
- This altering of the typical American lifestyle brings up much hesitation to adopt and adapt. The use of terms like “shelter in place” or “safer at home” seem intimidating but people can generally still leave their homes for critical necessities such as medicine, food, or simply some fresh air outside one’s home.
Gov. Kay Ivey in Alabama indicated she wasn’t ready to take a step that could hurt the state’s economy. “We are not California,” she said on a call with reporters. Governors from across the political spectrum have made a decision that many deem agonizing but absolutely necessary. “We are at war,” Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio said.
