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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 17 March 2020
Holed up in the U.S.: Coronavirus shutdown threatens jobs

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER benefits. Others accelerat-
and TIM SULLIVAN ed programs to make loans
Associated Press available to small business-
Millions of Americans holed es.
up at home against the Some analysts worry that
coronavirus Monday, with unemployment benefit
many of them thrown out systems could be over-
of work until further notice, whelmed by people seek-
as authorities tightened ing aid, as happened dur-
the epic clampdown and ing the height of the Great
the list of businesses forced Recession over a decade
to close across the U.S. ex- ago. In fact, the website
tended to restaurants, bars, where businesses could ap-
gyms and casinos. ply for Small Business Ad-
With the U.S. economy ministration disaster loans
shuddering to a near-halt, crashed Monday.
the Dow Jones Industrial On the medical front,
Average plummeted near- four healthy volunteers
ly 3,000 points, or 13%, its became the first partici-
biggest one-day percent- pants in a clinical trial of
age loss since the Black an experimental vaccine
Monday crash of 1987. against the virus, receiving
The rapid work stoppage shots at a research institute
had Americans fretting in Washington state. But of-
about their jobs and their People walk in Union Station's Main Hall in Washington, Monday, March 16, 2020. ficials cautioned that it will
savings, threatened to Associated Press take a year to 18 months to
overwhelm unemployment fully test and approve any
benefit programs, and all bars and restaurants to about 1 million jobs in April. many artists and service in- vaccine.
heightened fears the coun- close at least part of the The economy appears to dustry workers in New York Across the country, health
try could plunge into a re- day. Casinos shut down in be decelerating at a much who rely on nightlife and officials, politicians and
cession. New Jersey. faster pace than during the live paycheck to paycheck business leaders talked
President Donald Trump Tyler Baldwin, a 29-year- 2008 financial meltdown. in one of the most expen- about "social distancing"
acknowledged that pos- old bartender at the Tap- "This is like an avalanche. sive cities in the world. and "flattening the curve,"
sibility for the first time and room in Seattle's Pike Place It's all happening at once," Ralph Anthony, a 38-year- or encouraging people to
suggested the nation may Market, one of the city's said Heidi Shierholz, senior old comic and actor in avoid others so as to slow
be dealing with the virus biggest tourist attractions, economist at the Econom- New York City, had two gigs the spread of the virus and
until July or August. shut down early "so I can ic Policy Institute. "And no canceled last week that keep U.S. hospitals from be-
The number of infections go home and start figuring one knows how long it's go- cost him $1,000 — money ing overwhelmed with a
in the U.S. climbed to out unemployment, food ing to last." he intended to use to pay sudden deluge of patients.
about 4,300, with at least stamps, really whatever the On the other side of the next month's bills. Most people who come
78 deaths, two-thirds of next step to keep myself ledger, Amazon an- "There's literally no work down with the disease
them in hard-hit Washing- afloat." nounced it wants to add to go around," he said. have relatively mild symp-
ton state, where many resi- Truckers hauling goods 100,000 workers to deliver "You're living off your sav- toms, but it can be deadly
dents of a suburban Seattle from a port in Virginia are packages amid a surge in ings. You're liquidating your for some, especially the el-
nursing home have been just trying to hang on be- online orders from people investment portfolio." derly and those with under-
cut down by the virus. cause cargo volume has unable or unwilling to set Around the country, many lying health problems. Most
Officials in six San Francisco dropped so much. foot in stores. And gun sales restaurants were restricted people infected with the
Bay Area counties issued a "It's a struggle just to survive soared in many places as to takeout or delivery only. virus recover in a matter of
"shelter-in-place" order af- right now, just to put food fear took hold around the But "who's going to come in weeks. People forced to
fecting nearly 7 million peo- on the table," said Nicole U.S. for carry-outs? Not a lot of hunker down at home had
ple, requiring most residents Sapienza, managing mem- "I've never seen it like this," people tip on carry-outs," to figure out how enter-
to stay inside and venture ber of Coastwide Marine said Ed Turner, who owns waitress Danielle Livingston tain themselves now that
out only for food, medicine Services in Virginia. Ed's Public Safety in Stock- of Earl's Diner in Ferndale, nearly all social gatherings
or exercise for three weeks About 82 million people, or bridge, Georgia, "This is self- Michigan, lamented. have been banned, can-
— the most drastic measure three-fifths of the U.S. work- preservation. This is panic. In a letter to Trump and con- celed or strongly discour-
taken yet in the U.S. to curb force, are hourly employ- This is 'I won't be able to gressional leaders, the U.S. aged. Some planned to
the spread of the virus. ees. Many of them won't protect my family from the Chamber of Commerce binge-watch TV, catch up
"I know today's order is a get paid if they don't work. hordes and the walking called for swift legislation, on chores such as cleaning
radical step. It has to be. For those in a category that dead.'" including a three-month out the basement, exercise
We need to act now, all of includes restaurant, hotel, With schools closed for tens cancellation of some taxes at home, do more cooking
us," said Dr. Grant Colfax, amusement park, and ca- of millions of children across and an expansion of loans or catch up on their read-
director of the San Francis- sino workers, just one-third the country, parents began to businesses, to "mitigate ing.
co Health Department. have access to paid sick using lesson plans that in- the potentially devastating "I just started `Love in the
The shutdowns touched leave, according to Wells cluded flash cards, online economic effects." Time of Cholera.' It seemed
every corner of the coun- Fargo. learning, dog walks and Governors in a number of appropriate," said Bev-
try: blackjack dealers in Las Kevin Hassett, a former creativity sessions. Many states said they are grow- erly Pfeiffer in Silver Spring,
Vegas, theme park workers economic adviser to Presi- did this while juggling work ing alarmed by the wid- Maryland, of the Gabriel
in Orlando, Florida, restau- dent Donald Trump, said on conference calls, emails ening economic damage Garcia Marquez novel.
rant and bar employees CNN that "that the odds of and memos. Others scram- and effect on workers. Worldwide, the outbreak
nationwide, and winery a global recession are close bled to find child care. Some announced changes has sickened over 180,000
workers in California. At to 100% right now" and pre- The shutdowns were espe- to make it easier for people people and left more than
least eight states called on dicted the U.S. could lose cially devastating for the to collect unemployment 7,100 dead.q