As we all know, coronavirus has deeply affected all of us in its own ways, but we are still unsure of what more is to come. Recently a new debate topic has emerged in America: Should we go back to the way things used to be? Even many protests have happened because of this. Although many of us would never join one of these protests, forming an opinion is one thing many have done. Illinois should re-open, and residents should return back to work.

Even though the unemployment rate is constantly changing, many sources point toward it leading to great depression levels. With the unemployment rate spiking to 14.7% in April according to a CNN article (Link to article), many Americans now worry for the safety of their jobs. With many people losing their jobs they worry about money and about being able to take care of their family. We have already seen unemployment go up just in April alone. If we continue to stand by and watch it rise, we could see one of the worst rates in the history of the United States

Many small businesses have their own worries too. According to a CNBC article (Link to article) on how many businesses are at risk of closing, “Nearly 7.5 million small businesses are at risk of closing their doors permanently over the next several months if the coronavirus pandemic persists, according to a survey.” With that many businesses at risk of closing, think about how many jobs are in jeopardy and how many people now worry about money and their financial safety. If Illinois doesn’t open, residents will soon find that too many small businesses will close their doors and many jobs will be lost.

One of the last reasons that Illinois should open back up is the health and well-being of the people. According to a study done by the University of Utah (Link to article), “Sales of alcoholic beverages in the United States have increased 55% compared to this time last year.” With this in mind, it shows that not only the financial standpoint of U.S. citizens is at risk but the health and well-being is too. With increased alcohol sales, one can infer that this brings many problems along with it, like alcoholism and domestic violence.

With this information, a question still looms: Should we have closed down like this? My answer would be no.

Yes, there are a lot of lives at stake in this situation, and there are many things that are still unclear, but staying at home should be a choice, not an order. If you know you’re an at-risk person, then don’t go out, stay home and try not to come in contact with people. There are many services for the people that worry about their health too, like DoorDash, Shipped, and Amazon to help get the stuff they need to get without putting themselves at risk. But if you’re not at risk, then shouldn’t you be able to go out? 

We can’t just sit by and watch the economy fall; we should take action–the necessary action of going back to work.