In a large bag to the left of the table, turkey sandwiches wrapped in brown paper. Right, jam snacks; next to it, green salads in plastic boxes, all washed down with a small brick of fruit juice. In the hall of Brookland College, an establishment in an African-American district of Washington (district of Columbia), the ladies on duty are on the job from 10 a.m. to distribute these free meals reserved for middle school students from the more disadvantaged. Here, all students are entitled to it and since Monday, March 16, the first day of the closure of schools linked to the coronavirus epidemic, several dozen have come to collect the small package.
Across the country, some 20 million children are entitled to free school meals every day. And while more than thirty American states have declared schools closed for two weeks, a month or until the end of the school year for some, schools are trying to maintain this service, which is essential for many families. In the same social vein, several cities have committed to no longer cut water or electricity for default for the duration of the epidemic.
According to a trend observed in recent days, school closings are expected to become more widespread, despite criticisms linked to the difficulties encountered in childcare and access to distance courses. In the most disadvantaged areas, a quarter of students do not have computers or Internet access at home to do their homework, according to a survey by Pew Research Center.
In many states, distance courses are scheduled to start Monday, March 23. In addition, while working at a distance is still not compulsory and, in certain environments, parents cannot afford to work in this way, children are mainly entrusted to grandparents, themselves fragile face the virus.
New instructions
As authorities become aware of the health crisis, new instructions appear across the country. In several states, for example, law enforcement officials have been asked to avoid incarcerating minor offenders to relieve congestion in prisons, where promiscuity could accelerate the spread of the virus. In Ohio, several hundred prisoners have already been released.
In Texas, inmates jailed for non-violent offenses could also be released early, as some 600 people have already been released in California. The recovered spaces could serve as places of quarantine in the event of an outbreak of the virus. Until further notice, visits to prisoners are prohibited in most states.
A specific American phenomenon, the rush for arms and ammunition is a more unexpected effect of the epidemic. For several days, sales have increased sharply, fueled by various psychoses: the fear of no longer being able to obtain supplies in the event of the closure of businesses, the prospect of having to defend oneself if the police, affected by the illness, no longer responded and, above all, diffuse fear in the face of the uncertainty of the coming months. Traditionally, the arms market has flourished during times of economic instability or political change.
Political polarization
On the shopping side, supermarkets are starting to set up hours reserved for the elderly and limit the number of customers on site. Items like butter, milk, eggs or diapers are starting to be rationed. As elsewhere in the world, it has become almost impossible to find toilet paper on the shelves. Hyperbolic illustration of this anxiety: in Oregon, the police chief of Newport had to ask the citizens who fear that they will no longer have this product to stop calling for help. " You will survive without our help ", He posted on Facebook.
Another incongruous consequence, which many travelers would no doubt like to see endure after the crisis: it is now authorized to keep a bottle of disinfectant gel of 300 ml during air travel, in contravention of the rules, which prohibit containers of more than 100 ml. Provided you find them on the shelves.
Finally, the epidemic is not immune to the political polarization that characterizes American society: according to a poll by Axios, 51% of Democrats say they are very worried about the virus, while only 25% of Republicans are in this case. Until recently, conservative media, backed by the President, have worked to minimize the health crisis; an element which could explain this strong difference of appreciation in a survey carried out between March 13 and 16.
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