As Covid-19 cases continue to rise as expected this fall, so too have cases of government restrictions in places like Chicago, where a stay-at-home advisory is in effect; Detroit, where indoor dining has been shut down; and Philadelphia, which has also nixed indoor dining and gatherings. Curfews at bars and other specific businesses are also in effect in states and localities around the United States.
Among the most restrictive are Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s order to shut down indoor restaurant and bar service and limit outdoor service to parties of five or fewer. Movie theaters, bowling alleys and museums must also close, according to the Seattle Times.
The restrictions come on the heels of news that Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine was found to be nearly 95% effective, but like the first virus vaccine, is still in the testing process and won’t be rolled out until late this year at the very earliest.
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine creator Ugur Sahin (the CEO of BioNTech) recently said that if high vaccination rates are achieved by the end of 2021, the course of the pandemic could be changed and we could have a “normal winter” next year.