The New Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) causes the pandemic disease COVID-19, described by President Trump as the Chinese disease. It is a new virus, closely related to In December the virus was transporting from person to person in China, and many cases were linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, China. On January 6, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans to take precautions if traveling to China. According to nbcnews.com/politics “The World Health Organization issues a statement about the first COVID-19 case outside of China, saying, “There is no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission.” On January 20, 2020 the first case was confirmed in the United States. The patient was seen at an urgent care clinic near Seattle Washington for a 4-day cold with fever. (NEJM Group) Radiography text were performed and showed no abnormalities and Influenzas test A and B was negative as well. Due to the patient's recent travel to China local and state health departments were immediately notified and had the patient tested for COVID. The patient’s specimens were collected from serum, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal swab specimens. (NEJM Group) Patient) The patient’s nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs tested positive and on January 20, 2020 was the beginning of the COVID 19 outbreak in the United States.
The Covid-19 outbreak led to many policies being created in the United States. One of Trump's executive orders banned anyone who had been in China 14 days prior with exceptions, including US citizens, lawful permanent residents, and their close family members. On March 13, 2020, Governor J.B. Pritzker ordered all Illinois schools to be closed. Suddenly parents were without childcare and looking for alternative arrangements. This was one of the biggest orders announced to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Not too much later, President Trump issued orders to control the spread of the coronavirus at a press briefing. During the briefing, Trump recommended that all Americans, including the young and healthy, do schooling from home. He also wanted Americans to avoid gatherings in groups of more than ten people. I recall waiting to see if my daughters would perform in the St. Patrick's Day parade. At that time, most parents had no clue what the novel coronavirus was and didn’t know about the guidelines that should be followed. The city rescheduled the parade giving students a false hope that the show would go on, just not as scheduled. Parents were told the the St. Patrick's Day parade will be rescheduled and that they would receive information on the new dates.
However, downtowners were not caring about the coronavirus and packed the bars as ever, and enjoyed their usual good old time. Governor J.B. Pritzker along with other governors were upset that no one was taking social distancing seriously. The next policy that the governor dropped changed the economy. Governor J.B. Pritzker implemented a safety lockdown. This policy ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to close. Dining, malls, retail stores, and other small business were closed due to the stay-at-home order. The O'Hare International Airport was closed. This order was only to be to March 29, 2020. Unfortunately for the economy, the executive order went past that date and extended to the end of April.
The coronavirus not only affected the lives of Illinoisans, but it also affected life in America and across the globe. Life, as everyone had known it, came to a near halt in a matter of days. The unprecedented shutdown of activity in America caused some Americans to panic. Americans lined up in shopping centers and began to buy all the toilet paper, hand sanitizers, paper towels, feminine wipes, baby wipes, and groceries off the shelves. Americans were spending their savings on hoarding groceries and toilet paper. People were without work and a means to support themselves. The economy and stock market seemed to be doomed. Congress had to act and act fast to provide some type of relief to Americans. Measures were needed to support small business and people no longer working. This led to President Trump declaring the virus a national emergency and working with Congress on a relief package. The shutdown of America came with a price an $ 484 billion spending package to combat the coronavirus.
The policy included an enhanced unemployment package along with stimulus checks. The unemployment policy was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It provided enhanced unemployment insurance for workers, parents, and others impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, who typically would not qualify unemployment benefits.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27. It expands states' ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment benefits. There is no waiting period to receive unemployment other than the hundreds of people who filed ahead of you in line. In addition to regular unemployment benefits, individuals who receive unemployment receive $600 hundred a week from state unemployment insurance programs. Unemployment status would not affect the stimulus checks that were also approved by Congress. Most taxpayers and social security recipients were to receive $1,200 per person in stimulus checks. The stimulus also included $500 dollars for each child. There is no confirmed news if the second round of stimulus checks will be issued. Illinoisans can only hope things get back to the way it was before the coronavirus.
References
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/timeline-trump-administration-s-response-coronavirus-n1162206 March 17, 2020,
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 58 / Wednesday, March 25, 2020 / Notices
NEJM Group Med 2020; 382:929-936 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001191
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