Life After Crisis: More Questions Than Answers

Over the past 2 weeks, we have seen many changes in the rhetoric surrounding Covid-19. When this all started, I like many of you, watched and read news reports, probably googled the heck out of the subject, looking on in shock and confusion at how Covid-19 completely tore through China and Italy. Changing their way of living, fueling fear and sparking questions. As we looked on it made its presence known here. Just a little over 2 weeks ago, my internal dialogue went something like this… Could this really get as bad here, as it did in those other countries? When should we be stocking up? How long should we plan to be in for, if at all? Will we have to shutter in place? And just like that, in a little over 7 days all our questions were answered. And, we are now the world’s top story.

To say these times are scary and uncertain would be a gross understatement. Unemployment is on the rise, the health care system is being pushed to its limits, grocery stores, can barely keep up with the hysterical shopping sweeping through their isles, businesses are unsure as to if they can ever recover and people who worked their butts off for years, now see their savings depleting, with no idea how they will recover. Then we have the immediate root of everyone’s sleepless nights, how will I pay my rent and my bills during this time. This crisis has swept through and has shown no mercy to anyone, we all are feeling it. From the very top to the bottom. Maybe in drastically different ways, but the impact is universal.

Thankfully, since my previous post, there has been a slew of changes, that may allow some of you to breathe a little easier for now. The much talked about Stimulus Package has been approved and stimulus checks are on the way. This package is broad in its reach, giving financial assistance to most. The package in of itself is a great one. Thought through to meet immediate needs and executed quickly. Although not everyone will see relief right now, hopefully additional measures will be taken to give some cover to those taxpayers who were left out.

But I think, for many, the questions on our minds are…

1. What happens next?
2. How bad is this going to get, health wise?
3. Will we recover (financially and as a people)?
4. Will we get our jobs back?
5. What happens when the stimulus check is all gone?
6. Will we be afforded enough time to catch up with any accrued expenses during this time?
7. Will my business bounce back?
8. Will our children get back on track when school re-opens?
9. What will life look like after the crisis has passed?

Answers to these questions could sway in any direction, and my intention is not to answer them but to shed light on what’s going through many minds in America.

Besides the questions on most of our minds. There have been many things, during this time that have become evident…

1. There is a gross need for paid sick leave. The fact that America is one of the more progressive countries in the world, leaves me baffled as to how it is possible that paid sick leave is such a mystery. The one assurance in life is that we are human, and our bodies are not impenetrable. Sick leave is a simple contingency plan for any company or business to ensure that their employees are taken care of financially, through an unplanned illness, allowing them to recover to full health in order to produce at their maximum potential.
2. Healthcare workers and Teachers are extremely valuable. This literally needs no expansion, especially now. My only hope is that appreciation for their services goes far beyond our current situation.
3. Access to great healthcare is a must. This is a hot button issue, and I will never pretend to know the fix for such an intricate piece of legislature. But again, our current situation has brought to light many thinking points.
4. There should be some type of safety measures in continuous play, monitoring any health emergency emerging around the world. It should be fully equipped and on standby ready to assess/identify/minimize and contain any possible health related threat.

I am not qualified to give fixes to any of the above. Nor are all the points listed only from my point of view. Through many conversations with friends and sometimes strangers, these points that have brought to the forefront, along with some others, are on the minds of many.

The one thing, however, that can be said for the heart of America. An indisputable fact is that, no matter what comes at us, we come together in support of each other. Regardless of differing views, race, social status, nationality, origin, I could go on, but I think you get it. We stand together when it counts most, and we will get through this together. Stay safe and Stay informed.

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Disclaimer: All opinions voiced in the above article are my own. I am not a professional strategist. This op-ed has been written from my point of view coupled with views and questions via conversations with average people, expressed in my own voice. Every opinion comes from a layman’s perspective and a person who understands all too well the struggles and questions of the average working person. Please get all Covid-19 updates and factual information from the CDC website. Be safe Stay informed and please get your information from a trusted source. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.