Congressman Pappas Thinks That We Will Still Be Six Feet Apart and Wearing Masks and Gloves During Summer of 2020.
In an interview with Chris Ryan, Representative Pappas from New Hampshire’s First Congressional District, gave his views on what will happen in the coming months as we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 Virus. The Congressman discussed what still needs to be done to control the spread of the Corona Virus. He and Chris Ryan considered what might be done to reward and to provide an incentive to people, like healthcare workers and grocery workers, who have worked so hard to get us through these trying times. In the last portion of the interview, Congressman Pappas gave a rather gloomy prediction for the Summer of 2020.
Despite recent encouraging news about a slowing of the infection rate, the Congressman is calling for a continuation of the social distancing measures. He realizes that people are anxious to get back to work, but he feels that it isn’t safe for a widespread return to work right now. There is still a need for more protective equipment and a tremendous need to increase testing capability. When he was asked about availability of testing, the Congressman said, “It is woefully inadequate from where it should be to allow all of our front line healthcare workers to receive a test to see if they are protected.”
Congressman Pappas maintains that any return to work must be done in a way that is safe for workers. The reopening of nonessential businesses will be uneven. Some situations will lend themselves to mitigation more readily than others.
Chris Ryan and Congressman Pappas also discussed the possibility of providing hazard pay or some kind of financial incentive for our front line workers whose tireless efforts have cared for COVID-19 patients, our most vulnerable population in nursing homes, and the supermarket employees who have made it possible for us to get essential products during this shutdown.
Summer is a wonderful time in New Hampshire, and the Granite State’s economy is very dependent on tourism. For that reason, the Congressman was asked about what kinds of activities we could look forward to this summer. For a return to normal, the number of Corona infections would have to be around zero. Activities which can occur while maintaining appropriate distancing, such as, hiking, golf, or walking on the beach might be permitted. Activities which would cause people being crammed in together are not going to be happening. Some parts of the country might return to “normal” before other states do. Congressman Pappas let us know that this is going to be a very long process when he said, “We are not going to return the life that we knew before this pandemic until we have a vaccine and an effective treatment.”
