The emergence of the coronavirus seemed slow and unimportant, as most of the general public seemed to think of it as a joke. However, with the danger turning into a pandemic, the government, as well as President Trump, needs to address how they can help us. The question is, what will they do and will they help us?

When it comes to President Trump, it appears he focuses on the business and the financial side to help us as he suggested a $2 trillion stimulus plan. The plan would give a $1,200 check to Americans making under $75,000 a year, where each child would add $500, as well as an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits and an additional $600 per week for four months. 

For small businesses, the plan provides a $376 billion loan plan and a $500 billion lending fund for industries, cities and states. Other preparations would be $150 billion for state and local stimulus funds and $130 billion for hospitals. The Senate approved the bill on Wednesday, March 25th, where it was a rare unanimous vote of 96-0. 

The bill is expected to pass the House on Friday, and the President could sign it into law this weekend. 

According to the Washington Post, the legislation ensures that these taxpayer-backed loans cannot go to firms owned by President Trump, other White House officials or members of Congress. This would suggest that Trump-owned properties, including hotels that have been impacted, cannot seek taxpayer assistance. 

However, from some citizens’ perspectives, President Trump doesn’t show much care and seems to be building false promises. During one of the White House briefings, he began to back-peddle on the strict guidelines of social distancing. He appointed Easter (April 12) as the end of the “historic battle” against COVID-19.

During the briefing, the President said, “Ultimately, the goal is to ease the guidelines and open things up to very large sections of our country as we near the end of our historic battle with the invisible enemy. It will go on for a while but we will win. Easter is our timeline, what a great timeline that would be.”

This is a confusing decision, to say the least, considering the deaths in the U.S. caused by the coronavirus continues to climb each day.

For many state governments, they issued the practice of social distancing, which has seemed to have a positive effect on slowing down the spread of Covid-19, as well as multiple states has closed down schools to further prevent the spread, such as Arizona where Gov. Doug Ducey has extended to break to April 10th. Some states, like New York and California, have issued “shelter-in-place” orders, which require people to stay as much as possible.

However, do people believe this is enough? 

Gina Cadena, a nurse at an assisted senior living center called Estrella Center, thinks we can do better. She is glad hospitals are getting more financial help, however, she wants the elderly people to receive more help, such as tests for everyone in need. She said, “Without testing for everyone, we aren’t sure how to help everyone, nor who to help. The only way to help them is a mandated lockdown.”

With the number of deaths in the United States increasing, surpassing over 1,000 deaths, the future is unclear how we are to stop the coronavirus. The government and President Trump are trying some ideas, but we’ll have to wait and see if, in the end, we will see if they work out. 

However, with hope and social distancing, we as a society can do our best to try to slow it down. 

Make sure to wash your hands and do your part by staying safe by staying at home.