States that have reopened have not seen the predicted big surge in new coronavirus cases, although it’s still too early to say anything conclusive. From Tyler Durden at zerohedge.com:
Well, would you look at that.
Three weeks have passed since Georgia started reopening its economy, and the feared apocalyptic resurgence in the coronavirus that was supposed to overwhelm the state’s health-care system and cost thousands of lives hasn’t come to pass. And many of the same experts who warned against reopening the state “prematurely” – a group that includes Dr. Tony Fauci – are now conspicuously silent.
Meanwhile, other experts have pointed out that Georgia’s reopening, along with the reopenings of others states like Tennessee, South Carolina and Texas, has so far worked out.
And if Georgia’s reopening has been a success so far, then in theory, “no state is going too fast.”
Some Wall Street economists say a continued decline in serious illnesses suggests Georgia’s reopening may encourage other states to ease restrictions and lead to an eventual resumption in economic activity in the US.
“Georgia is a bellwether mainly because the reopening has been so aggressive,” said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont Securities LLC, who cited in a research note Wednesday an almost 20% drop in Georgia’s Covid-19 patients in the past week or so.
“The other aggressive states, like Florida and Texas, are still opening up more slowly,” Stanley said in an interview. “So if Georgia is successful then, in theory, no one is going too fast – there should be a strong presumption that reopenings everywhere else should be successful.”
Kemp lifted a state order on April 24, allowing nail salons, hairdressers, bowling alleys and gyms to reopen so long as they followed state protocols. Restaurants and theaters were given the go-ahead three days later.
