Recently in Huntington Beach, California there have been numerous protests against the state government’s stay-at-home order. Partisans waved flags and signs that read, “Quarantine the sick not the healthy!” According to ABC News, “The event described itself as a march for “freedom, liberty and reopening the California economy.” Not everyone is taking the stay-at-home orders seriously. What many fail to realize are the consequences of not social distancing. 

We know COVID-19 has had a detrimental effect on people and their own personal health, but what they fail to realize is that it’s not just their lives that are in danger. Some people can contract the virus and be asymptomatic meaning not displaying any symptoms however still transmit the virus to other people who can be more susceptible to becoming very ill. Since there is no cure or vaccine yet, the government had to go to drastic measures to ensure the safety of American citizens and residents. COVID-19 was unexpected and everyone’s lives had to change in order to adapt to the new environment. 

According to The New York Times, cases have tripled since January that has brought us to an estimate of more than 927,000 confirmed cases and 52,400 death totals in the U.S. alone. COVID-19 is very real and is happening at every moment of the day. Yet, people still go out and visit their friends and relatives because they assume they’re healthy. We all know that this quarantine is difficult and has impacted lives adversely, but if you continue to ignore guidelines, you could also become part of the problem. 

Think of the consequences every time you step outside. Are you wearing protective clothing and is what you are doing considered essential? Limit the amount of times you visit the grocery store or some public place where the virus could be exposed. You are not only staying healthy but you are also helping the environment by reducing the emission of gasoline every time you use your car. If there is less carbon in the air, and you aren’t diagnosed with the virus, everyone wins. 

Lastly, the more people ignore the precautions the longer everyone has to stay inside. Consequently more people get infected and the cycle continues to repeat itself. None of us want to stay in here longer than we have to and we certainly don’t want to spend the summer inside. According to government guidelines the safest thing people can do is to listen to authorities and stay home so everyone can enjoy life again. Wash your hands, limit outside contact, and find hobbies to fulfill the time being.