I have not been driving around very much while observing the Safe at Home ordinance, but the few times I have, there is one common thing I always see.
The signs are a post-coronavirus, and they are a very telling of the peril that those who put up the signs are facing, and while they say it differently or indirectly, there is one message that they are trying to get accross.
‘We want to be able to be here for you in the future.’ It’s a sentiment that people may have taken for granted, and we now have to deal with the sobering reality that some of our favorite places may not be there when this is all over.
With all of the protests to reopen the country, and places like Georgia and Florida reopening beaches and barber shops and gyms, it seems like people have lost sight of something important. Something that, as unrealistic as it may seem now, will come to pass.
As desperate as you may feel and as world shaking as this may be to you, the COVID-19 pandemic will eventually pass, as all of the pandemics of the past have.
The world survived Ebola. It got through Spanish Flu, and it beat Smallpox. It even managed to move past The Black Death, which shaved the world population from 450,000,000 to 300,000,000.
So why is the world scared enough of this coronavirus, which seems meager in comparison to many of these deadly diseases of the past, to completely shut down our normal way of life?
Well, there are a lot of different reasons that have been outlined by health experts and government officials around the world, but it comes down to two simple facts.
One, the rate of asymptomatic carriers and their ability to transmit without knowing it. This makes it essentially impossible to protect those who might actually be in a position to suffer serious consequences should they be infected without these stay at home orders.
Two, as much as scientists have discovered about COVID-19, we really don’t know anything about it. And we fear that which we don’t understand.
But while the safety and health of people should be humanity’s first priority, it is also important to look at the economic side of the equation as well. With around 10,000,000 jobs lost due to this pandemic in America alone, there is no sugarcoating the fact that many people are going to suffer a great deal because of stay at home orders necessary to minimize cases and ‘flatten the curve.’
So what can you do? Well, the first and most important thing to do is to follow stay at home and social distancing guidelines. Until we learn otherwise, we can be pretty sure that the reopening of places in Florida and Georgia will lead to a spike in cases, and the protests meant to end the quarantine will only prolong it.
Another important thing to try and do is to support local businesses within your own means. When you are ordering that takeout meal, just remember that local restaurants are going to need a lot more help to survive this than your local Burger King or Subway.
There are plenty of great local spots to try out, and many of them are doing everything they can to attract customers during this uncertain time.
Just take the Culver City News office as an example. Sure, there are places like Chipotle, McDonalds, and Jersey Mike’s all close by.
However, you can also choose to go to local places like Allegra California Cafe at 4437 Sepulveda Blvd., who is offering a 15% discount on orders over $150. You could go visit Umberto’s at 3905 Sepulveda Blvd., who is also offering a variety of groceries at a competitive price, and gives you an opportunity to purchase necessary items you would normally buy at a major supermarket while helping keep a local business and a family afloat.
Chicas Tacos has just launched a new marketplace offering homestyle family meals and grocery essentials. All profits will be used to support Chicas staff with food and supplies. Items available include to-go margaritas, Impossible Taco meal kits, house made biscuits, cage free eggs, chorizo, toilet paper and face masks.
If you are looking for a different type of drinking experience during your quarantine, Harajuku Taproom located at 4410 Sepulveda Blvd., is offering several great deals on alcohol
Of course, eating out is always more expensive than buying groceries, and while supporting local businesses is important, doing it at the cost of your own financial security is simply irresponsible.
So if you can, lend a helping hand to these businesses, so they have a fighting chance to survive after this is all over.