Will a Full Blast Economy Spread Covid Further?

It seems safer to lockdown cities once again to try to halt the spread of the virus, though this isn't a guarantee that Covid cases will indeed drop. And the economy might collapse for good. It's a serious dilemma our government is faced with. But looks like it's set to re-open the economy wide open soon for businesses as usual. Photo above by Kevin Hendersen on Unsplash.

Others think this is too risky and may open the floodgates of worse soaring cases, the collapse of healthcare services and the dreaded total shutdown of the economy (if everybody in the country becomes sick). So a full-blast economy is a definite no-no to them. They'd rather have a slow-and-steady grind.

But what would really skyrocket cases is severe lack of discipline, not the re-opening of the economy. Even if people are kept to their homes, lack of discipline would still increase the number of cases in the communities. People still mingle together and expose themselves needlessly even in total lockdowns, which has happened in the previously. The sad thing is, they do so with total disregard of health protocols.

To me, it's okay to be back to business as usual (with some operations kept online to reduce needless exposure) as long as strict health protocols are observed. This is the vital key to keep the economy going while safeguarding people from the virus and even possibly reducing the cases. It's just a matter of faith in God and discipline. 

The vaccines are good. But we should not put our guards down even with them. Experts still need to observe how the vaccines affect humans in the long run, particularly if the contagion could be stopped by the vaccines from spreading or not. The vaccines may be effective in stopping or reducing the symptoms in affected patients, but what about its transmission?

One CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) article said the following:

Although COVID-19 vaccines are effective at keeping you from getting sick, scientists are still learning how well vaccines prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to others, even if you do not get sick.

If you are vaccinated against COVID-19, you may still be exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. After exposure, people can be infected with or “carry” the virus that causes COVID-19 but not feel sick or have any symptoms. Experts call this “asymptomatic infection.”

For this reason, even after vaccination, we need to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions. [February 09, 2021]

A Live Mint article also said something to this effect:

They add that the effectiveness of the vaccine would begin to show only after 14 days. Observing all safety protocols, hence, is imperative.

One of England’s leading medical officers had also earlier urged people to follow the strict safety rules as there is no evidence to prove that vaccinated people cannot transmit the virus.

The article also quoted Jonathan Van-Tam, professor and Deputy Chief Medical Officer of England, as saying: “Regardless of whether someone has had their vaccination or not, it is vital that everyone follows the national restrictions and public health advice, as protection takes up to three weeks to kick in and we don’t yet know the impact of vaccines on transmission." [February 13, 2021]

The Book of Proverbs says the wicked will die for lack of discipline resulting to carelessness or stubbornness. This applies aptly in these pandemic times, too. Safety doesn't come by limiting our movement or activity or imprisoning ourselves in our homes, but by obedience (of course, stay home as much as possible). It's as simple as what's summed up in Deuteronomy 11--obey and be blessed. Disobey and be cursed.

This is my list of what I deem as the vital keys to safety and economic recovery in this pandemic:

1. Pray at all times. Rely on God for safety and provisions.
2. Stay home if you don't need to go out.
3. Observe proper social distancing at all times.
4. Wear your face mask and shield properly at all times. Wear double masks if needed.
5. Do not touch your face when you're outside.
6. Disinfect everything you take inside your house.
7. Shower after you emerge from outdoors.
8. Avoid crowds.