As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to progress in the United States, conflicting messages are being sent to the American people through a variety of different media sources. Some on the far end of the spectrum bolster conspiracy theories or claim the virus is a hoax, while others on the opposite end claim that the coronavirus will require doomsday prepping to overcome. Although most people fall somewhere between these two extreme conclusions, plenty of them are unsure of what to think when major officials juxtapose each other completely. 

Even though he retracted his previous statements about reopening the country by Easter, Trump is still aiming to return (mostly) back to normal by May 1 as he constructs the new coronavirus economic task force. These actions, presumably, aim to mitigate the unprecedented economic damage done to the United States during the coronavirus pandemic, such as record-breaking unemployment claims and financial market losses. He has stated that he will not reopen the country “until it is safe,” but only time will tell. 

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, continues to explain that the virus determines the timeline in which restrictions loosen. Although he seems to dislike questions centered around a projected reopening date, multiple other experts in the field postulate that restrictions can be safely and gradually loosened by mid-to-late summer or August.  

With all of the intricate factors involved in this crisis, paired with the fact that every U.S. state is experiencing a different timeline and rate of infection, it is hard to say when the country can collectively return to some form of normalcy. Developments arise daily, and the best option for the average citizen might be to take this crisis one day at a time. Who one chooses to listen to is up to the reader’s discernment.