Governors across the U.S. used the latest jump in new COVID cases to justify reintroducing strict limits to prevent their health care systems from being overrun.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy told Yahoo Finance, “We can’t wait any longer. We’re doing it now, frankly, because the federal government should be doing it, and they haven’t done it.”
New Jersey has had 238,000 COVID cases and 16,339 deaths since the beginning of the outbreak. The state announced on Saturday it recorded 2,000 new cases of the virus earlier in the week, which was the first time since May, NJ.com reported. The state also reported 12 new deaths, prompting Murphy to announce a “second wave” has hit the state.
The new guidelines go into effect on 5 November and require employers to check temperatures and provide breaks throughout the day for workers to wash their hands.
The report said the governor refused to rule out additional lockdowns. He said, “All options are on the table… if we have to shut the whole place down, we will.”
Jordan Schachtel, a journalist, took to Twitter to post, “Lockdown round two is coming to blue states.” In another of Schachtel’s tweets, he said, “No doubt about it. States like NY, NJ, etc will double down on lockdown and hit the self destruct button again. Politicians and bureaucrats convinced citizens that this is the only correct course. They are doomed. Get out while you can.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has implemented new statewide orders that focus on rigorous testing for those visiting from outside states. LoHud.com reported that visitors from “non-contagious” states must prove they tested negative over the past 24 hours. All visitors must quarantine for three days, regardless if they tested negative. The report said that after the three days, they will be tested again and then be released.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned residents about a recent uptick in cases. On Friday, the New York City Sheriff’s Office shut down a reported illegal party inside a warehouse in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. ABC 7 NY reported that 387 people were at the party. Nine organizers were charged with multiple misdemeanors.
The lockdown threat is not isolated to blue states. An increase in COVID cases in El Paso County, Texas, prompted a judge to order a two-week shutdown of all nonessential businesses. USA Today reported the order was met with resistance, and several restaurant owners have sued to block it.
KVIA.com reported that Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, joined the lawsuit that was brought by ten El Paso restaurants.
“El Paso County Judge [Ricardo] Samaniego has no authority to shut down businesses in El Paso County. This is a direct violation of Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order,” Paxton said in a statement. “Recommendations must not be confused with requirements, especially those that unlawfully burden private citizens and businesses.”
Paxton said he was “exploring all legal actions” to prevent the judge’s order.
TREND FORECAST: The continuing lockdowns and restrictions will drive the debt of already deep-in-debt states much higher. More businesses, especially small ones, will go out of business, while unemployment, homelessness, crime, suicides, and depression will continue to increase.
Once again, and as we note in this and other issues of the Trends Journal, rising cases do no equal rising death rates. Again, cases are rising because more people are getting tested. The virus recovery rate for those aged 1-50 is 99.8 percent… a fact ignored by the mainstream media, which, instead, focuses on the continued selling of fear and hysteria.
