Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are spiking once again in many parts of the United States. But unlike back in March, when we knew very little about COVID-19, a simple “flatten the curve” slogan won’t be enough to convince people to stay home.
Some states have tried. In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, she who closed down gardening aisles in the spring, announced a three-week shutdown right before the Thanksgiving holiday, and then she extended it when those three weeks were up. California Gov. Gavin Newsom similarly implemented new restrictions last week, requiring restaurants, bars, and hair salons to close their doors once again. Total compliance, however, is becoming more and more unlikely.
More Michigan restaurants are defying Whitmer’s second shutdown every day and urging others to do the same. They have even begun to form an organization to fight Whitmer’s order in court. And in California, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes announced he would not enforce Newsom’s shutdown, arguing that it does not pass the “constitutional test.”
“Goalposts keep moving by the week,” he said. “[The shutdown] has been very impactful upon all of the businesses and residents of Orange County and California. But I just don’t think that it’s something that falls in line with law enforcement priority.”
And police officers all over the country asking: Is any of this even legal? When New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a 10-person limit on Thanksgiving gatherings, several sheriffs in upstate counties accused the governor of trying to make the law something that it’s not.
“Who and how many people you invite [into] your home is your business,” Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino wrote in a viral Facebook post, adding that it is not his job to “see how many Turkey or Tofu eaters are present.”
Many people would agree with the two sheriffs that coronavirus restrictions have gone too far. Others, however, may understand the necessity of staying home but have grown tired of doing so. These people are willing to wear masks and socially distance when necessary. But they’re much less willing to stay home. One Gallup poll found that the number of people who are avoiding gatherings with family and friends fell from 71% to 45% between May and September.
So, although a second shutdown is looking more and more likely, it won’t be nearly as successful as the first. People want their lives back, and at this point, it’s hard to blame them.
