As the number of new cases of the coronavirus has begun to plateau, there has been an active debate about the circumstances under which the economy can begin to reopen. With 22 million Americans and counting having lost their jobs, there’s an obvious urgency to get things moving again. But among the many problems for businesses hoping to reopen, one issue is likely insurmountable: Schools are currently closed in every state, and most states have already announced closures through the end of the academic year.
In the absence of schools, there’s simply no way for a large number of people to work. This is especially true given that in any state where schools are closed, other day care options are also closed. And even if somehow the government were willing to provide day care subsidies, there is simply no way to scale up the already strained U.S. child care system to absorb the tens of millions of children who will be out of school.
