The county of Denver has enacted new regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These rules have the potential to be successful in a perfect world where everyone follows the rules. Looking at them more closely makes their ineffectiveness apparent.
Residents are required to stay at home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m to reduce nighttime gatherings at bars and restaurants. There are exemptions to staying out past 10 p.m. for people who are leaving work late, first responders or people who are traveling. This order is in effect until Dec. 7.
The “home-by-10” order is a reasonable curfew that makes sure people are safe. Michael Hancock, the Denver mayor stated, “there’s another stay-at-home order in our future unless we act with urgency.” Anything to prevent that result is worth trying. Too many people have lost so much already, and another quarantine could be economically dangerous.
A number of people had to file for unemployment when the first quarantine went into effect across the nation. The number of people who filed for unemployment went up by 13% at the start of October. The weekly claims hovered between 8,200-8,800 throughout the month of October. Many people are still dealing with the effects of that quarantine. According to the New York Times, “Some are losing their jobs if they try to stay home, and thousands more are being reported to the state to have their unemployment benefits cut off.” COVID-19 has influenced many families negatively—their economic status is at risk, and another quarantine order would be catastrophic.
Another rule the city of Denver passed along with the new curfew was prohibiting Denverites from gathering with people outside of their household. This new mandate excludes Thanksgiving Day and will help reduce the spread of COVID-19, but it has a series of counterproductive loopholes. It would not keep people from gathering in public places such as restaurants or clubs. It also lets people easily get away with visiting each other because there is no clear indication of how authorities can prove that people are from other households. The rule is simply unenforceable due to its nature, not to mention that the police need a warrant to enter your home.
Regardless of the content of the new orders, they must be followed. During these times, we need to work together as a society to help decrease the spread of COVID-19. The authorities will be enforcing these new laws more heavily than past ones. Fines up to $900 will be given, and violators can face up to 300 days in jail. It may seem a little extreme at first, but it is what we need in order to push people to follow the regulations and keep others safe.
