[Klatu]

Given the widespread devastation to the economy which is inevitable in such a pandemic, I find the plan to gradually reopen the country encouraging.

States that are minimally infected (the Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, etc.) or have a declining number of infections and hospitalizations can, at the direction of the governor, begin to move through Phase One of the plan. There are safeguards built in to each phase and while there will be people violating those here and there, they seem sound enough. Leaving the economy to decline and holding everyone back from reopening until the sickest hotspot has improved will build in a set of problems that could take decades to solve.

Interestingly, the group that is not heavily involved in getting back to "normal" quickly is the "most vulnerable." That's us, folks. We will not be out and about like the old days YET. And when we do move in that direction, there will be some big challenges such as,

The squares. How are you going to maintain social distancing with couples crowding to dance, line dancers, sitting together etc. I have observed that some folks seem to have a really, really hard time estimating what six feet is. They crowd together about four feet apart, no mask and talking for long periods of time.

The bars. Local bars are not huge. How is Cody's going to spread out seating without losing half their space and half their revenues? Ditto restaurants.

Stores. Similar to bars: they are not huge. Put someone in any of the clothing stores and they are going to be very close to other shoppers.

On a more positive note, when we are able to get antibody testing, we can see who is safe to move about and not be infected or infect others. Also, there will be a vaccine. At that point we will truly be at the new normal. Then we will just have to pray China doesn't share another of their little microbial gifts with us.