By Angel Perez
Coronavirus took us by storm, no one wanted to believe it was a true problem until it was too late. Everyone thought it was being blown out of proportion, but when New Jersey started lockdown, everyone panicked.
New Jersey has gone through huge changes the past few months, many are sick, and thousands have died. NJ Governor Phil Murphy’s stay-at-home order has closed hotspot places like schools, gyms and restaurants.
Times like these also brought our community together; many have volunteered time, energy and money, to help ensure that everyone in their community is fed.
Governor Murphy has put multiple measures and priorities to get everyone tested safely. Even partnering up with local Walmarts for a self-administered COVID-19 test starting May 22, 2020. He even fought with the White House for more ventilators for hospitals and testing sites. He was able to adapt to the huge waves of ill people, he set up multiple new locations for patients in the matter of days. Even with how fast he moved, New Jersey still lost people; he soberly said. “We’re one family. We rise and fall as one. We celebrate and mourn as one, too.”
New Jersey has lost many souls in the past months, the amount of people losing their loved one is insane.
Christina Schoellkopf from the Los Angeles Times talks about how she had to stand six feet away from her grandfather and watch him die in front of her. “My grandfather is dying in hospice care. And I have never more appreciated the power of touch. Because it’s been stolen from us.” She has never felt so disconnected from another person. “This pandemic has robbed us of final hugs, kisses, pats on the back, hand holding and shared meals across an intimate table.”
COVID-19 will not only change how he interacts with one another but also the economy. Many employers have asked themselves questions such as, “Do we need large city office space with staff relying on crowded public transport?” This might change how people work from now on, many think staff would be more demanding in terms of flexibility.
After lockdown the idea of sale prices bouncing and stores lowering prices to shift stock and to readjust the economy isn’t far-fetched. Airlines that survive this pandemic might result in them setting new policies like thermal imaging cameras, which check your temperature as you walk through, could become commonplace at airports.
The lack of traffic flow diminished since the lockdown, which caused the rise of online meetings. That has shown what can be achieved without travel and has saved lots of carbon in the process. This is only one positive out of this horrific virus, this could help halt the damage we’re doing to the natural world.
Thankfully the spread of the virus seems to calm down, but that’s until the second wave commences. A leading epidemiology researcher said, “Summer may slow the spread of the coronavirus a bit, but it will be back by fall with a second wave that looks a lot like the first wave.”
The coronavirus has truly changed how we’ll interact for the next few years.
