The coronavirus pandemic has ensured that 2020 will not only be a year for history books, but that Americans will celebrate a Fourth of July like no other.
Just a month ago, states had begun to reduce blocking measures after flattening the curve. People talked about barbeques on the beach and watched baseball on July 4, a “return to normal” as much as any other, but even more so on America’s birthday.
Such hopes began to fade as various states began to notice spikes in new cases, culminating in more than a week of record numbers. Florida alone set a national record when it reported just over 10,000 new cases on July 2. In 40 of the 50 states, coronavirus cases are on the rise, with Nebraska and South Dakota the only states outside the northeast with a downward trend in cases, according to The Associated Press.
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President Donald Trump plans to continue in South Dakota with a July 4 celebration at Mount Rushmore, complete with fireworks, but most states will have tight celebrations.
These are some of the ways this year’s celebrations will be very different from previous years.
NO BEACH
With the arrival of the holidays, the 4th of July remembers images of barbecues on the beach and fun in the sun. The beaches in the northwest and northeast have largely remained open over the holiday weekend, but they are not the usual hotspots for vacations and celebrations, and people may have to get by.
Florida has become the most affected state in the country, and was the most ambitious to achieve a return to normality. After pushing to organize the Republican National Convention, the state has seen several counties push for certain closings, most notably, beaches in South Florida.
Beach closings in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Indian River County, and Martin County are in place only for the holiday weekend, a time when the state typically sees an increase in activity. However, the beaches of central Florida remain largely open. Governor Ron DeSantis continues to push for the reopening, saying the state “will not back down” on the plan. He even openly questioned the closure of the beach, speculating that keeping people indoors for the weekend could exacerbate infection rates.
California has also seen several beach closings, including Los Angeles state beaches and San Diego beaches, as well as Michigan, although in fewer numbers. Texas went a step further, shutting down any tube rafting and outdoor rafting business.
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NO BEER
One of the main concerns that experts pointed out to explain the sharp increase in cases was the bias towards younger people by the newly infected. The average age of people infected with the virus was reduced from 48 to 39.
Younger people ventured out at night in the club or bar, so states moved to crush that as an option. In some states, the most obvious measure to discourage the spread of the virus was to close bars or ban the sale of alcohol.
Several states, including Colorado and California, have moved to close bars entirely. California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered bars to be closed in several counties, including Fresno, Kings and Los Angeles, with a notice to close in several others.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott demanded that any restaurant that made most of its money (51 percent or more) from alcohol sales also close directly.
Pennsylvania was the only state that initially banned the sale of alcohol statewide, but slowly repealed that measure after reevaluating in the face of criticism. When the state began to see an increase in cases again, Allegheny County in western Pennsylvania took steps to ban the sale of drinking alcohol on the spot.
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NO BARBECUE IN THE PARK
In some states, it will be almost impossible to gather outside to celebrate. In Texas, Governor Abbott banned gatherings of more than 10 people before the July 4 weekend, but had allowed certain exceptions with the approval of the local government. Abbott is still interested in reopening the economy, but acknowledged the need to avoid a possible rebound from the holiday weekend.
“We have the ability to keep business open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a salary, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect each other, and that means wearing a mask in public spaces. , “The Republican governor said in a statement.
Some states have taken a softer approach, urging residents to stay home to celebrate rather than ban meetings, as they did in Oregon.
In cases where a meeting occurs, such as in Nebraska, state leaders have asked the hosts to maintain a list of guesses to aid in the search efforts.
KTVB in Boise asked the question “What can you do this Fourth of July in Idaho?” The main response was social distance, regardless of the occasion, but the report listed a series of parade and fireworks cancellations, which often invite large gatherings.
Ohio has indefinitely extended its ban on mass gatherings (that is, any gathering of 10 or more outside a household) until July, and has ordered new social distancing measures for businesses.
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NO FIREWORKS
After the beaches and barbecues, the most iconic moment of any July 4th celebration is a fireworks show to end the night. After weeks of unscheduled fireworks late into the night across the country, some people may not be so heartbroken to hear that the regular displays for July 4 have been canceled in several states.
California delivered the final blow to vacation plans by canceling any statewide fireworks display.
New York has taken a decentralized approach to fireworks, announcing only an hour in advance when it will host smaller exhibits.
Some cities and counties in Idaho have also canceled their fireworks displays, although parades and other festivities will continue as planned in certain areas unless the state has been unable to exit the reopening of Stage 4.
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WITHOUT FOOD
When the beaches and bars are closed, dining out is an option. The coronavirus has forced most states to close restaurants or allow limited reopens, and for many, that won’t change.
Most states have entered at least a Phase 2 reopening, which allows outdoor seating for restaurants, such as in New York, or limited indoor capacity. States like Virginia, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico and Mississippi have announced a pause in their plans to advance to the next phase or specifically to open a dinner indoors.
While Arizona continues to suffer under the strain of the virus, Governor Doug Ducey has pushed for a measure to discourage large meetings. In addition to ceasing to issue new licenses for special events, it has put a hiatus on the operations of large indoor public spaces such as gyms, cinemas, bars and water parks, effective for one month from June 29.
California also closed indoor operations for restaurants, movie theaters, zoos, and museums, among other companies, beginning July 1.
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Mandatory face masks
Most states want to continue to reopen businesses for the good of the economy, but they recognize the need for some security measures to aid recovery. The use of face masks has been continuously promoted as one of the most effective means of maintaining security while reducing other measures, and some states have accepted that hope more than others.
Texas instituted a mandatory face mask measure, as did Nevada, Oregon, and North Carolina, joining New York, Delaware, Connecticut, Illinois, and Washington. Governor Abbott issued the order on July 2, requiring the use of masks in any county with 20 or more positive COVID-19 cases.
Oregon had to place a state trooper on leave after they saw him on video refusing to wear his mask, saying the mandate to wear one violated his “civil liberties,” according to the Salem Statesman Journal.
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The United States has about 2.8 million confirmed cases of coronavirus, with around 131,000 deaths.
Associated Press and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
