When Can We Eat Together Again?

When Can We Eat Together Again?

 

And I’m not talking about the grace period we’re in right now. While stores, restaurants, and other places across the country begin to re-open for business, our sense of normalcy will start to return. Despite obvious restrictions, there’s still the fact that, sooner or later this summer, the United States will return to normal. At least, as close to normal as we can get. In about two months’ time, you’ll be able to dine-in at your favorite local restaurant again with friends and family. You’ll be able to step into a movie theater and munch on popcorn while watching the latest Disney flick. You might even get the chance to stand in line for a midnight release of a new video game (well, if in the digital age anyone still does that anymore). Things are going to start feeling like they’ve returned to the way they were before COVID-19 swept through every corner of the world. Warning signs may still be there, and people may still promote or practice social distancing. But, at the end of the day, the world will start to spin again and what used to be will be again.

 

A return to relative normalness, however, will come with a false sense of security. Life will continue prior to the virus’ devastating impact on the world (with around 7 million cases over 400,000 dead worldwide at the time of writing). And, as we begin to lose focus on its effect, the virus’ presence will begin to dwindle. Which is understandable; after all, case numbers in the United States are starting to drop, with “only” around 17,000 new cases and 926 new deaths as of yesterday’s numbers. A far cry from what it used to be, which is why relative relaxation will return for most Americans. But to think life is going to just return to normal would be to ignore just how fast the virus has been able to spread, infecting over 2 million people in America over the span of less than three months (and those are only the cases we know about). COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon, and to think so is to play ignorant to what’s going on right outside your door.

 

Pandemics of this caliber typically come in waves. This, as far as we’re aware, is the first wave of the virus. And while new—albeit contested—information from the World Health Organization suggests asymptomatic cases can’t spread as easily as those with symptoms, we have to keep in mind how unknown the virus’ behavior is. Because even a cough without a fever can be a sign that you’re infected. I don’t mean to say that to scare anyone, but it’s true. And since that’s the case, then while life may be returning to normal for right now, there’s no way this thing is over until medical professionals create viable treatment and a vaccine. We can eat together again as soon as today in some states. But we aren’t going to be doing so for very long.