Repeat lockdowns aren’t just possible — they’ve already happened in Hong Kong, Singapore and now Beijing.
“Don’t make me come down there,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted, sharing a video of the scene, which looked more akin to New Orleans during Mardi Gras than New York City amid a pandemic.
Cuomo warned that violations of Covid-19 restrictions could cause the state to roll back its reopening. It’s an outcome no one wants, but could become a harsh reality: a second wave of shutdowns.
Repeat lockdowns aren’t just possible — they’ve already happened elsewhere, in places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and now, Beijing.
As the US and China grapple with new coronavirus outbreaks, fears are growing that secondary stay-at-home orders could be even more damaging than the first — sending businesses already flirting with bankruptcy over the edge.
While investors grapple with that reality, US stock futures and Asian markets plunged today, signaling that global stocks are headed for another volatile week.
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED
Q: What can we learn from how other countries handled coronavirus?
A: Singapore was initially praised for its clampdown on the virus. Even people who had no symptoms but tested positive had to be hospitalized until they tested negative. But economically the city-state also had a more relaxed attitude compared to other countries, allowing businesses, churches, restaurants and schools to stay open during its first wave of the virus. And some communities were overlooked by government testing. The number of cases shot up, and the country suffered a strong second wave of coronavirus. So how did Singapore go from having a model coronavirus response, to another outbreak? James Griffiths explains.
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WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY
Masks promote “freedom” (and safety)
The US Surgeon General on Sunday urged people to wear face coverings, saying they’re important to slow the spread of coronavirus and reopen the economy. “Some feel face coverings infringe on their freedom of choice — but if more wear them, we’ll have MORE freedom to go out,” Dr. Jerome Adams said on Twitter.
