Officials preparing public for long-term disruption
Political leaders around the country are beginning to warn their constituents that the major disruptions to their everyday lives caused by the spreading coronavirus will last far beyond the temporary shutdowns that are so far in place.
The potential for a months-long shutdown of both civic and business institutions will exacerbate what already threatens to become one of the worst economic crises in modern history. Airline industry analysts have said that most carriers will fall into bankruptcy by the end of May; the restaurant industry estimated its businesses would lose $225 billion in the United States alone; economic analysts have projected the largest global contraction since World War II.
But such drastic steps are necessary to slow the spread of the pandemic coronavirus, in part because its geographic distribution is so uneven. The virus first emerged in China, but the epicenter has largely shifted to Europe, which is struggling with thousands of newly confirmed cases every day. And the number of cases in the United States is tracking right behind Europe, experts warn.
The ebb and flow of the global outbreak could prove similar to the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918. An early wave of the virus swept the globe in the spring, only to recede and return with a vengeance in the fall. That second wave infected and killed far more people globally than the first wave.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/488271-officials-preparing-public-for-long-term-disruption
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