March 11, 2020: The WHO (World Health Organization) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Will America ever be the same again?
The first case in the US, which was found in January of 2020, came from someone in Washington State who had recently been in China.
So far, a vaccine has not been found. The country will not be completely open until one is developed.
Schools and restaurants have been closed for three months so far. Graduating seniors missed out on their graduation and will probably never see their classmates again. AP exams have been taken remotely from home while SAT tests have been cancelled and postponed. Everyone is taking classes online and millions of Americans were fired because of the economic state of the country. Only essential workers (fast food employees, healthcare workers, etc) and people who have the privilege of working from home are still employed.
After President Trump declared a national emergency on March 13, the economy reached its lowest point since 2008. Most schools were closed by then, within days of the virus being announced as a global pandemic. Restaurants, recreational areas (amusement parks, trampoline parks, shopping malls), beauty parlors (hair and nail salons, etc.) and most public places were closed as well.
Fast food places such as Chipotle, McDonalds and even regular restaurants quickly adjusted themselves to the new state of the country and reopened for takeout and curbside delivery.
Pike & Rose on Rockville Pike, full of restaurants and fast food, is one main location to which people go for outside food. Some places, like Starbucks, have accepted the new state of things and quickly implemented new measures to minimize social and physical interaction.
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Starbucks at Pike & Rose placed a sign outside, telling people about their new measures.
Photo by Liann Keren'
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All public locations also require visitors above the age of two to wear a face mask at all times.
Photo by Liann Keren'
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Rose Park at the Pike is also closed. Since it isn’t a large park, there isn’t enough room for many people to all be there at once without being unsafe in social distancing.
Photo by Liann Keren'
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The CDC recommends there be no less than six feet between people in public.
Photo by Liann Keren'
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Places like The Fresh Market have placed stickers where lines should be, telling people where to stand.
Photo by Liann Keren'
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Since some people are more at risk than others, stores are allowing only them access to shop at certain hours, in order to minimize interaction with people who are at a lower risk, but may be carriers of the virus.
Photo by Liann Keren'
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The Fresh Market even implemented a store capacity of no more than 40 people.
Photo by Liann Keren'
It’s nearly impossible now to walk out in public without seeing every single person wearing a face mask and gloves.
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An elderly man sitting outside of Giant Foods wears gloves and a face mask to protect himself from the virus.
Photo by Liann Keren'
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Since most people don’t have a reason to go outside, almost no cars are parked in previously heavily-packed places, like Montrose Crossing, where the parking lot is now nearly empty.
Photo by Liann Keren'
It’s unclear as to what the country will look like two, three, even four months from now. Will there be a vaccine? Will students be back at school? Will the country ever be the same again?
