While most of the U.S. has begun to reopen, some parts of the country remain under burdensome restrictions that can’t be justified by either science or logic.
Most of New York, Michigan and the Washington D.C. metro area remains under lockdown through at least Memorial Day weekend. Some beaches in Virginia and New York reopened over the weekend, but Democratic New York Mayor Bill de Blasio made it clear that swimming is forbidden, saying beachgoers who swim in the ocean will “be taken right out of the water.” (RELATED: FLASHBACK: Jan.21: Fauci Says Coronavirus ‘Not A Major Threat’ To U.S.)
“Obviously first and foremost, help make everyone remember don’t go in the water. You’re not supposed to go in the water,” de Blasio told reporters last week. “It’s a dangerous situation to ever go in the water when there’s not lifeguards present. If anyone tries to get in the water they’ll be taken right out of the water.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks to the press at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, on March 27, 2020. (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)
New York recently allowed tennis courts to reopen, but with some bizarre restrictions. Restrictions include bans on doubles tennis matches and, as one Long Island official explained last week, a ban on touching your opponent’s tennis ball’s.
“You can kick their balls, but you can’t touch them,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said last week.
Virginia Beach was allowed to reopen for Memorial Day Weekend, but also had to adhere to stringent guidelines. These guidelines include a ban on alcohol at the beach, as well as bans on tents, umbrellas and even boomboxes.
Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam appeared to flout social distancing guidelines this weekend when he made an appearance at Virginia Beach. Northam could be seen taking selfies with beachgoers, without a mask. (RELATED: America Is Reopening Whether Politicians Like It Or Not)
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is facing criticism after his visit to Virginia Beach where he was seen not wearing a mask around members of the community: pic.twitter.com/U6DiiJGhpb
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) May 24, 2020
Meanwhile, major cities such as Los Angeles are requiring citizens to wear masks even when they are outside. This precaution is in place despite a recent study of 318 outbreak clusters in China which found that a total of two cases had occurred as a result of outdoor transmission.
Studies have also shown that the virus cannot survive for significant periods of time in the sunlight. The White House Coronavirus Task Force is hoping for a possible “summer respite” from the virus.
With tens of millions of Americans facing economic ruin because of the lockdowns, there is an increased urgency to reopen the American economy. Yet despite the success of states like Florida, many coronavirus restrictions appear to be here to stay for the foreseeable future.
