As the coronavirus continues to spread, so does the awareness on how to prevent it. People are wearing masks and drowning themselves in hand sanitizer just to avoid the effects of the pandemic. But, the actual virus isn’t the only thing to worry about.
With panic breaking out at every corner, businesses and public events have been taking extreme caution to prevent the escalation.
From the cancellation of trips to now schools, right now there is no guarantee of what your future plans may look like.
And sure it may be awful to see that your favorite singer cancelled their concert, or your family trip to Italy is no longer happening due to the country closing its borders. But when looking at the bigger picture, what does this mean for the economy?
Due to the frequent cancellation and restrictions on flights, the supply and demand for airports is currently extremely low. This means flights as cheap as $89 to relatively far destinations inside of the US.
Though this may sound like great news to the few adventurous people who dare to take a flight out of the country, this can actually be very detrimental to airport employees. All airport employees are losing hours, as well as possible budget cuts due to the lack of income. And with less flights in the US, according to cnbc.com, airports are now starting to offer pilots an entire month off of work with reduced pay.
But airports aren’t the only industry being affected.
Small businesses are suffering greatly due to the lack of customers. And with the new rules Governor Chris Sununu has enforced, there are now restrictions on sit-down restaurants and gatherings of 10 or more people in hopes of preventing the spread of the virus.
Companies are being forced to fire many employees since they no longer have work for them, leaving those workers without any income during a time when they would need it the most.
I have already begun to see this personally with my job. I work at a small ice cream parlor in Manchester, and there has been a noticeable decrease in customers in the shop. Nights are usually packed, but now they are empty.
However, there has been a spike in deliveries showing people are taking the necessary precautions and practicing social distancing.
But there is one place everyone is going and can’t be avoided: the grocery store.
Empty shelves and panicked shoppers are what you will find at grocery stores. Though there is a plethora of junk food, the supply of essentials is limited.
It’s become so bad that you are among the lucky if you can find a loaf of bread or even toilet paper.
When grocery shopping for my family, it’s not only the empty shelves that make you feel an immense amount of discomfort- it’s the horror in everyone’s faces as well. Walking the aisles of the store, people keep their distance since everyone is scared of each other.
There are also people taking extra precautions, wiping down everything they pick up, people wearing masks and gloves, and parents yelling at their children, worrying about what may happen if they touch something.
But what I found to be the saddest and the thing that realized how much of a crisis we are in was when I overheard the conversation between an elderly couple. The woman was on the verge of tears because all of the people who unnecessarily bulk-bought their items left nothing for her and her husband.
In order to prevent the virus, people have begun to stock up on sanitary products. Leaving supplies, such as soap, limited.
I understand that people were frightened, so in a flight or fight response decided to stock up, but that only caused a decrease in supplies for people who are very susceptible to the virus. This also made it harder for the people that need the supplies to get what is necessary for their survival.
For all we know, if everyone kept to their normal routine instead of bulk-buying, we could have been okay. So, if you are to take away one thing from this article remember to not be selfish. During times like these we need to stick together and take care of each other, not just ourselves.
So, yes, the coronavirus is a terrible pandemic affecting many across the world. And only the best is wished for those impacted by the virus, but right now this isn’t the only crisis.
From the economy crashing to the lack of supplies, this is more than just a pandemic- it’s a global catastrophe.
