I chose to focus on a very specific part of life after the pandemic, unemployment. As it is possibly one of the biggest concerns if everyone in your family is healthy. The unemployment rate in this country due to coronavirus is extremely high right now, and it seems the situation may only get worse, as suggested in NBC News, which states that “Some worry we may hit 30 percent” unemployment before this is over. And even suggesting the actual numbers may be far worse, as unemployment surveys do not count the “self-employed” or “undocumented immigrants”. (Berlatsky, 2020). On a personal level, my parents have both kept their jobs. But out of 9 aunts and uncles, two have been able to hold on to their jobs, and only a handful of my friends’ parents. In this way, I consider my immediate family very lucky as my mom is a teacher and my dad is considered an essential worker, but I realize that this is in no way the case for most.
It is my belief that after the end of this pandemic, that eventually many people will get their jobs back, but this process will be much longer or worse than some people expect. According to a CNN article, “Some businesses, particularly smaller ones that are more vulnerable to economic shocks, might fold under the sudden recession, eliminating the jobs they provided jobs altogether” (Tappe, 2020). I know this is the category some of my relatives fall under, working for small businesses that will now get even smaller as a result of COVID-19, possibly getting rid of their jobs for good. And when it comes to large corporations, the situation does not look much brighter. As written in the New York Times coverage, Wuhan, China, the city where this all began, has now come out of lockdown, and life has begun to resume. However, even with “97 percent” of large industrial companies resuming business, only “60 percent of employees are on the job” (Wong & Zhang, 2020). If this is any demonstration of how unemployment will pan out in America, then I for one am very worried.
The restaurant business, which previously employed me and a few of my relatives, has taken a huge hit, no matter the size, as they beg the government even far after the coronavirus peak, for “rent relief, subsidized loans, and wage support” (Wong & Zhang, 2020). I know every country is different, but the way our government is handling this pandemic gives me little hope for the future to look any different from China.
The previously mentioned article from NBC said that our government needs to “do much more” in terms of handling the unemployment issue and the honest reporting of it (Berlatsky, 2020). Even if the problem is bad, our federal government needs to tell us the truth, with someone who is educated on the issues they present and will not just speak with reelection in mind. Our future though it can be predicted from some sources is largely a mystery and will remain so for a long time. As one report quoted by USA today suggested “None of us actually know” how the unemployment rates will truly impact our country (Shannon, 2020). I guess it is best to just try and get comfortable with that.
Works Cited
Berlatsky, N. (2020, April 16). Coronavirus unemployment numbers are staggering. And the real number is higher. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/coronavirus-unemployment-numbers-are-staggering-real-number-higher-ncna1185576
Shannon, J. (2020, April 16). A class war? A global power shift? A world isolated? How experts see the future after coronavirus. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/04/16/coronavirus-experts-imagine-different-normal-coming-years/5142518002/
Tappe, A. (2020, April 16). Jobs after coronavirus: The US labor market won’t bounce right back. CNN Business. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/economy/job-market-rebound-coronavirus/index.html
Wang, V., & Zhong, R. (2020, April 7). China Ends Wuhan Lockdown, but Normal Life Is a Distant Dream. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/world/asia/wuhan-coronavirus.html
ENGL110 Spring 2020 11:15-12:05 
Both my parents are still employed but my mom works at a small business and my dad is self-employed. Luckily both companies were able to receive government relief but I know this isn’t the case for all. The Unemployment rate is incredibly high but the virus hit us at peak employment and economy. I have to disagree some with your research because the government has been dealt with this virus and falling economy, not by its own doing. They responded quickly and swiftly with stimulus checks and packages for many industries and loans for small businesses. With the injection of 1200 to every adult, the liquidity and spending will stay constant and with huge unemployment benefits at the moment, those unemployed are receiving all if not more than their normal salary. Jobs in China are less unionized and industries are able to make jobs automatic and hand them over to Robots. The unemployment rate will not lower soon but it will decrease more rapidly than other countries since the government is placing protocols and making an effort to get regular Americans to work. The country will have a very hard time for months and possibly years to come but I do believe with vaccines and buyer confidence, the economy can recover.
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I feel for families that have no income right now. I can’t imagine how scary that is. We are in such uncharted territory that no one really knows how long the country will take to “rebuild” in a sense. I agree with you though that our government should be honest with us, because if they’re not then we are no different than China who possibly lied about their numbers.
-Maddy Mengel
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I like that you focused your article on unemployment. It’s a major issue that is affecting many people and families across the country. “ Even if the problem is bad, our federal government needs to tell us the truth, with someone who is educated on the issues they present and will not just speak with reelection in mind” stood out to me. I feel that the election is on a lot of politicians mind and not on the citizens. Today in Delaware an article on around explaining how people can vote in the primary online and from home. I feel that the election is on a lot of politicians mind and not on the citizens. Today in Delaware an article on around explaining how people can vote in the primary online and from home I had personally forgot about the election coming up in November and part of that is due to unemployment caused by this pandemic. I like how you included unemployment and reelection together in your article.
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My family has also gotten lucky where all my family members have been able to keep their jobs. My mother is a high school nurse, my dad owns his business, my sister is a teacher, and my brother recently had gotten a job in finance and has been lucky enough to have it secured for him. I have know families though who have not been as lucky and my heart goes out to them. The uncertainty of everything must be taking such a toll on their family. Although as you said, I do believe that after this ends people will get their jobs back. I think you wrote very well!
– Katie Fallon
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My family is so beyond lucky to still be working. My mothers works from home and my dad works at a manufacturing plant that was deemed essential. He makes lighting for hospitals and other essential businesses. But, i have been seeing on the news the amount of business that are filing for bankruptcy, and thats not even half the businesses struggling. I do believe that everyone will be able to fix what was broken when this is all over.
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