So, the coronavirus is gone now? Everything can go back to normal?
That is of course an absurd thing to say, because even after over three months of lockdown, the number of new COVID-19 case are not going down. We don’t have to worry about the “second wave” later this year because the first wave still hasn’t ended! (Genius!) And to think that San Francisco - and California - is going ahead with reopening plans; as much as I really want to have a meal at a restaurant with my friends, right now is still seems far from the ideal time to do so. You’d hope to at least see a statistically significant dipping trend in new cases first.
We are so not there yet.
I think we are absolutely playing with fire with the protesting that’s been happening all around the country. This is not to disparage against the message of the protests; the fact it has to happen during this crazy time of quarantine is such an unfortunate coincidence. This many people clustered together cannot be a good thing for stopping the virus spread, no matter if people are wearing masks. Because if the opposite is true, then we wouldn’t have had to majorly shutdown for three months, and my friend’s wedding isn’t getting postponed.
Again, it has to be said I greatly support the message of the protests, and if the negative consequences towards potentially prolonging the COVID-19 pandemic is a necessary cost to move this country forward, then so be it. But then cities will have to allow other gatherings as well, because on a base level it’s super unfair to (for example) the person who just lost a grandparent and is prohibited from holding a proper ceremony with attending family and friends. I don’t think it’s right to be selective about what gatherings are allowed; there’s no rational explanation - the coronavirus doesn’t discriminate.
If protests must happen, then you might as well open back up other gathering opportunities as well. Whether or not people will actually go to those things is another matter, but it’s wrong to forbid a gym from opening when there are people protested down the street.
Courtyards are cool. Exhibit A.