![\"lockdown_america.jpg\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/media\/images\/lockdown_america.jpg\" "\\"lockdown_america.jpg\\"")
<\/p>\nby Daisy Luther, The Organic Prepper<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
On Thursday night, Governor Gavin Newsome took unprecedented action and locked down the entire state of California. The following day, Governor Andrew Cuomo locked down the state of New York and Gov. J.B. Pritzker locked down the state of Illinois.<\/p>\n
Today, as of the time of publication, 70 million Americans are in mandatory isolation at home in the hopes of stopping \u2013 or at least slowing down \u2013 the Covid-19 virus that is beginning to spread exponentially across the country.<\/p>\n
Borders between the US, Canada, and Mexico have also been closed by mutual consent between the three governments.<\/p>\n
While this may be necessary to curb the virus so as not to overwhelm the medical system, many Americans are feeling distinctly uneasy about their movements being restricted. Especially worrisome is the idea of the National Guard being brought in to enforce the lockdowns, as has been discussed. Somewhere, there\u2019s a fine line between maintaining our constitutional rights and the need to stop a global pandemic.<\/p>\n
In all three states, non-essential businesses will be closed and residents have been ordered to stay in their homes unless they must leave for \u201cvital reasons.\u201d Many of our largest cities are encompassed in the lockdown: New York City, Chicago, Los Angelos, San Francisco, and San Diego.<\/p>\n
All sorts of euphemisms are being used for the situation. Cuomo prefers to call this a \u201cpause.\u201d California is referring to this as \u201csafer at home.\u201d And Illinois is calling it \u201cshelter in place.\u201d<\/p>\n
But for all the nice-sounding words, it is what it is: a lockdown on a massive scale.<\/p>\n
The most populous state in the country with 40 million residents, on March 19th, California was the first to lock down entirely and the situation will remain in effect \u201cindefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to keep the grocery stores open,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to make sure that you\u2019re getting critical medical supplies. You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog, you can still pick up food at one of our distribution centers, at a restaurant, at a drive-thru \u2014 all those things we will still be able to do.\u201d (source<\/a>)<\/i><\/p>\n Newsom is confident that Californians will be cooperative.<\/p>\n The order will not be enforced by law enforcement, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t believe the people of California need to be told through law enforcement that it\u2019s appropriate just to home-isolate, protect themselves,\u201d Newsom said. \u201cWe are confident that the people of the state of California will abide by it and do the right thing.\u201d (source<\/a>)<\/i><\/p>\n However, Newsom instructed the National Guard to be on alert and has activated<\/a> about \u201c500 guard personnel to help with humanitarian work and food distribution.\u201d<\/p>\n Interestingly, only 3 days before locking down the state, Cuomo said that the effort would be ineffective.<\/p>\n In New York, where coronavirus has killed 32 people, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he has no plans to impose a statewide mandate<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job is to make sure that the state has a coordinated plan and it works everywhere,\u201d he said this week. \u201cI don\u2019t think shelter-in-place really works.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n However, on March 20th, the day after California locked down, he changed his mind, saying,<\/p>\n \u201cI want to be able to say to the people of New York \u2014 I did everything we could do. And if everything we do saves just one life, I\u2019ll be happy.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n \u201cNo, this is not life as usual,\u201d New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said as the death toll in the U.S. topped 200, with at least 35 in his state. \u201cAccept it and realize it and deal with it.\u201d (source<\/a>)<\/i><\/p>\n Cuomo has banned all businesses except grocery stores, hospitals, laundromats, gas stations, veterinarians, and doctor\u2019s offices. Restaurants can operate on a take-out or delivery basis. Residents can go outside to walk their dogs or exercise but must maintain a 6-foot distance from others.<\/p>\n And breaking the rules will have consequences.<\/p>\n \u201cThese provisions will be enforced,\u201d Mr. Cuomo said at a briefing in Albany. \u201cThese are not helpful hints.\u201d (source<\/a>)<\/i><\/p>\n In New York City, police officers will patrol and begin giving out warnings on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said summonses and arrests would be issued as a \u201clast resort.\u201d (source<\/a>)<\/p>\n The state of New York has a population of close to 20 million people.<\/p>\n In Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker instituted a \u201cstay at home\u201d order which will begin today, March 21st, and remain in effect until April 8.<\/p>\n Pritzker has said<\/a> that no matter how tight the lockdown becomes, \u201cinterstate highways, gas stations, grocery stores and pharmacies would remain open.\u201d He asked people to keep this in mind when stocking up.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no need to run out and hoard food, gas and medicine,\u201d the governor said Thursday. \u201cBuy what you need within reason. There is enough to go around, as long as you do not hoard.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n Although Pritzker activated the National Guard earlier in the week, he says that they will not be taking quarantine enforcement roles.<\/p>\n Instead, 60 service members will be deployed to establish drive-up testing sites, help with food delivery to disadvantaged families impacted by school closures and possibly prepare closed hospitals to reopen.<\/p>\n The vast majority of currently activated troops are health care professionals \u2014 doctors, nurses, medical technicians \u2014 who would not be tapped for an law-enforcement assignment. (source)<\/p>\n Illinois has a population of about 12.6 million people.<\/p>\n Other states already have strict rules in place but are not quite \u201clocked down.\u201d Maryland was the first state<\/a> to order \u201cdrastic actions.\u201d Pennsylvania has closed down<\/a> all non-essential businesses. Hoboken, New Jersey has<\/a> instituted curfews. It\u2019s really only a matter of time before this spreads across the country, whether by state mandates or on the federal level.<\/p>\n Last week, I wrote an article about when the lockdowns would occur based on the patterns<\/a> established by China and Italy. The first lockdowns occurred right on cue, on the 19th and 20th.<\/p>\n We have already had some small regional lockdowns and people in quarantine after traveling, but the quarantining of large groups of people has not yet occurred in the US. YET. We are on day 50 since the initial case was diagnosed in the United States. However, the first case of community spread was on February 26<\/a>, and this may be a more important marker than the first case in a country the size of ours. \u201cCommunity spread\u201d means the illness was not contracted through traceable means, like a family member with the virus or travel history to places where the illness was running rampant. So if we\u2019re counting from the first day of community spread, the US is on day 15.<\/p>\n If massive lockdowns are occurring on about day 22-23 in other countries, that means we may have 7-8 days before we see major lockdowns and quarantines here. That would put us at March 19th or 20th. We may see some early lockdowns of cities or regions where the virus is rapidly spreading like Seattle and New York City. The lockdowns in other countries expanded in about a week to encompass greater geographic areas and larger numbers of people. This would put us at approximately March 26-27th. (source<\/a>)<\/p>\n So if this pattern still holds true, we may see many more regional lockdowns coming within the next 5 or 6 days.<\/p>\n States that already have restrictions in place, like Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are likely to increase those restrictions next. Places with a large exponential spread like Washington state are also likely to mandate lockdowns.<\/p>\n It depends on who you ask.<\/p>\n President Trump has said as recently as yesterday that he doesn\u2019t think that there will be a need for a national lockdown.<\/p>\n Despite approval for the states\u2019 actions, Trump said he does not think a national lockdown order will be needed, adding that other areas don\u2019t have the same hotspots as California, New York and Washington.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are working with the governors, and I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll ever find it necessary,\u201d he said. (source<\/a>)<\/p>\n On the other hand, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the infectious disease expert for the National Coronavirus Task Force, has said for at least a week he believes stronger measures need to be taken and that he\u2019d like to see a \u201cdramatic reduction in activity\u201d to curb the spread of the virus.<\/p>\n Asked by CNN\u2019s Brianna Keilar on \u201cState of the Union\u201d if he\u2019d like a \u201cnational lockdown\u201d where people are being told they need to stay home and out of restaurants and bars, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said he\u2019d \u201clike to see a dramatic diminution of the personal interaction that we see\u201d in those places.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever it takes to do that, that\u2019s what I\u2019d like to see,\u201d Fauci added. (source<\/a>)<\/p>\n Given the speedy turnaround made by Governor Cuomo, it is certainly not impossible that we might see a lockdown mandated at the federal level. If you aren\u2019t yet prepared for what this entails, check out this article<\/a> and this PDF<\/a> guide that is specific to the Covid-19 pandemic. If supplies are low in your area, you may be able to find some ideas for substitutes here<\/a>. And finally, this article<\/a> has some advice on how to prep for potential lockdown without spending any more money.<\/p>\nNew York<\/h4>\n
Illinois<\/h4>\n
Where and when will the lockdowns spread?<\/h4>\n
Is a national lockdown in the works?<\/h4>\n