Brooklyn Coronavirus Update and Open Thread: Years of Social Distancing (4/16/20)

We’re in the fifth week of sheltering in place and the 18th day of home schooling for New York City schools.

If a vaccine is not found until 2022, and we don’t increase testing and hospital capacity, social distancing could continue until 2022, according to a Harvard report.

Meanwhile, the small-business paycheck protection program will run out of funds any minute now — today is its 13th day, the Washington Post reported.

Unemployment claims this week total 5.2 million, bringing total unemployment to more than 22 million in four weeks — for people who’ve been able to get through the overwhelmed state systems to file, that is.

Public hospitals in Brooklyn and beyond seem to still be struggling with finding adequate protective gear for medical staff and equipment such as ventilators for critically ill patients, while private hospitals that serve patients with higher-paying insurance seem better equipped for now — such as Mt. Sinai in Manhattan.

In Brooklyn and beyond, speeding has increased on empty streets — and speeding tickets have doubled, The New York Times said.

How are you weathering the shutdown, and what are your concerns and thoughts? What do you think should be done here in New York City to combat the spread of the virus and save local businesses and jobs? Please feel free to comment in a respectful manner (please, no personal attacks, nothing libelous). If you are not already logged in, go up to the top right hand side of the page and log in to be able to comment.