Hannah Richey
Opinion Editor
hgrichey@uab.edu
The only thing that needs to be protested right now is the reopening of the economy.
Protests have been happening across the country demanding governors reopen the economy after around a month of stay at home orders. However, these stay at home orders have been lax and many businesses remain open or allow you to order online.
Most states’ stay at home orders are far from paternalistic, or even unconstitutional as some protestors claim. Alabama has minimal stay at home orders compared to many states.
According to unacast.com Alabama has an overall C in social distancing.
A protest in Madison county included adults bringing their children who were still small enough to be in strollers. The protesters waved signs including demands to “bring back sports.” A clip posted by WAFF 48 shows that the protestors are not maintaining the recommended 6 feet distance.
It is selfish to bring your children out in the middle of a pandemic to demand sports return. Sports are not worth endangering your family.
There is reason to believe the virus will be coming in waves, much like the 1918 Flu Pandemic. Stopping what little stay at home orders we have now will halt any progress at flattening the curve.
What should be protested is the minimal response federal and state governments have had to the financial instability many families are facing and the prospect of reopening the economy now.
The public needs more than $1200 each, especially because many have not or will not receive it.
The public needs mortgage and rent suspension, without having to owe anything back.
Reopening now could have devastating effects on the economy and public health.
Reopening now could mean removing rent and utility moratoriums. It also means people will no longer receive unemployment if their employer reopens.
The latter is important because even if a particular employee is not comfortable returning, they won’t have any money if they choose to not work. They won’t be able to pay bills or buy food.
It shouldn’t have to be said that workers shouldn’t be forced to risk infection to pay their rent.
Workers have a lot of power right now, as do customers. If the state decides to reopen the economy early, workers need to use their power to refuse to work and customers need to refuse to go to reopened businesses.
This is for the health and safety of everyone in the state. The curve is not completely flattened, and even if it was we still shouldn’t endanger the public by reopening as soon as minor improvements happen.
Alabama had enough COVID-19 tests for 1% of the state and less than 1% have been tested.
That is no indication of the actual threat of COVID-19.
Lt. Gov. Ainsworth’s plan to reopen the state is dangerous. He wants to reopen high-contact businesses like gyms and hair salons as soon as possible, meaning by May 1. He wants these businesses to have PPE on hand even though hospitals, including UAB, don’t have enough to go around.
Ainsworth wants beaches reopened for the summer. Since his memory only seems to recall the last two weeks, someone needs to remind him of the spread Florida spring breakers likely contributed to.
It’s irresponsible and puts Alabama and surrounding states in danger. The measures in his proposal aren’t going to work until we drastically reduce the number of new cases, which come daily.
We don’t need to reopen, we need strict measures and financial relief for workers.
