Over the last year ten months 13 million Americans lost their job. The economic cost of the pandemic has been far too catastrophic. Lockdowns have killed the retail and restaurant industry. A total of 110,000 restaurants have permanently closed and the number seems to keep on growing.

Lockdowns were first implemented in the Middle of March 2020. The reasoning for locking down and staying home was to “slow the spread”. These lockdowns prevented hospitals and healthcare places from reaching full capacity because of the surge in cases around the country. The problem with closing all non-essential businesses not only hurts the economy but mental and physical health of the entire country. 

When the pandemic first began experts predicted drug trafficking and drug use to slow down. This prediction was entirely wrong. Drug use increased 18% in March , 29% in April, and 42% in May. Places such Milwaukee County experienced a 50% increase in overdoses. Mental health has sharply declined due to the lack of social interaction, interruption to daily life, and anxiety about the future.

Though completely shutting down the country had great negative impacts there are some positives. Cases in coronavirus and hospitalizations were limited. No lockdowns at all would have resulted in thousands more deaths. The idea of America being self-reliant increased as well. America was able to produce all sorts of medical supplies without relying on other countries. 

There is no one answer for defeating the coronavirus pandemic. It requires a balance of thought in the economy, peoples mental health, and facts about the virus. Another complete shutdown of the country would decimate the economy and well being of the people.