As COVID-19 Cases Increase is Another Lockdown Needed?

by Zaid Aleem

As cases of the novel coronavirus put the country in a precarious position yet again, experts are now beginning to weigh in if a national lockdown is required. According to a report released by CNN on Oct. 18, the U.S. is averaging more than 55,000 new cases of COVID-19 a day. That is an increase of over 60 percent since the dip we saw last month. Additionally, this Friday, the U.S. reported the highest number of COVID-19 infections in a single day since July. 

The number of coronavirus deaths globally has surpassed 1.1 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. The university notes that there are currently only two states that have recorded a more than 10 percent improvement in the average number of reported cases over the past week. 

On the other hand, cases in Connecticut and Florida have increased by 50 percent or more. At least 27 states saw spikes between 10 percent and 50 percent including: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Despite the surge in confirmed cases, the country’s top disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has said that things would have to get “really, really bad” for him to advocate for a national lockdown. Meanwhile, in Europe, restrictions have been reintroduced after several countries have seen an increase in their confirmed cases. According to BBC, France is imposing an at least four-week long night curfew in Paris and eight other cities from Oct 17, with only essential trips being permitted.

Similarly, the Spanish government has imposed a 15-day state of emergency in Madrid and surrounding areas which started Friday. The Netherlands has a four-week partial lockdown along with a night curfew while Germany has imposed a ban on large gatherings for the rest of the year in areas with high infection rates. Other countries in Europe have implemented similar restrictions including Belgium, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Denmark.

The U.S. should be looking closely at the developments in Europe and must take the necessary precautions accordingly for the best interest of the country.