Opinion: COVID-19 restrictions lifted in California but the pandemic is not over

As we have all been in quarantine for over a year, we are all desperate for life to become “normal.” In California, COVID-19 restrictions were lifted on June 15 as the summer shifted into full gear.

However, is this actually beneficial to California in the future? Or is it going to cause another wave?

The reality is that COVID-19 restrictions being lifted at this time can cause more problems in the long run. Reopening now risks another wave of COVID-19 and businesses becoming unable to open and sustain themselves in yet another shutdown.

Just like the flu, COVID-19 will continue circling around the world. However, COVID-19 is a more severe virus that can damage the heart, lung and brain, which leads to long-term health effects, according to Mayo Clinic.

According to the Los Angeles Times, on Tuesday, there were 1,077 new cases and 24 deaths in California. These numbers are still high considering that we have been in quarantine for more than a year.

So if COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, people are more likely to get COVID-19 resulting in long-term damage to their bodies. If more people contract the coronavirus, that also means that more people are capable of transmitting the virus to other people if they do not take the precautions seriously, and as a result, there could be the fifth wave of COVID-19.

If we were to lift the restrictions a few months later when there are fewer new cases, then the chances of a second wave would decrease.

Money is important to survival as living comes with costs, but with COVID-19 many businesses are compromised, impacting people’s financial situations.

According to TOPMBA, many businesses are struggling with COVID-19 as PPP loans are hard to get, especially if it is a small business. TOPMBA also stated that if there is another wave of COVID-19 and businesses open after the next wave, the unemployment rates will become similar to the unemployment rates during the Great Depression.

This is obviously a serious matter as we all survive on money. If people are unable to maintain their businesses, other people will also struggle since they can not get the resources they need to survive.

Many may argue that most Californians are now vaccinated and that it is safe to re-open. However, being vaccinated does not prevent an individual from getting COVID-19. Instead, being vaccinated means that if you get COVID-19, your symptoms will be mitigated.

With COVID-19 restrictions being lifted and most people going back to “normal” life, many are still at the risk of getting COVID-19.

Even though we are all excited to go back to “normal” life, there are still many consequences that can result if the COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted at the wrong time.

There is also no perfect time to lift the restrictions, but at the very least we should be aware of the many risks still out there and prepare for the challenges to go back to normalcy.