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This pandemic has affected at  least everyone around the world. Many people have been laid off due to this pandemic, while others are forced to work at home.

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POLITICO Magazine
03/19/2020 07:30 PM EDT Link Copied

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Coronavirus Will Change the World Permanently. Here’s How.

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A crisis on this scale can reorder society in dramatic ways, for better or worse. Here are 34 big thinkers’ predictions for what’s to come.

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Covid-19: how it will change the world | The Economist

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Covid-19: how it will change the world | The Economist

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After watching this video I was thinking, will it ever be the same for teens. For example, will the movie theaters be open or what will happen to restaurants

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Hundreds of people gathered in front of Hall of Justice, protesting to open everything back up.

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Everyone has there own parts to play. For us, the gov't ordered us to stay home and take care of ourselves and others.

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All individuals living in the State of California are currently ordered to stay home or at their place of residence, except for permitted work, local shopping or other permitted errands, or as otherwise authorized (including in the Questions & Answers below).

On March 19, 2020, an Executive Order (PDF) and Public Health Order (PDF) directed all Californians to stay home except to go to an essential job or to shop for essential needs.

On May 4, 2020, an Executive Order (PDF) informed local health jurisdictions and industry sectors that they may gradually reopen under new modifications and guidance provided by the state per the May 7, 2020 Public Health Order (PDF).

See essential jobs and open sectors

Questions and answers

What is the relationship between the order and these questions and answers?

The Governor has ordered Californians to obey the directives of the
State Public Health Officer. Those directives take many forms; they
include specific materials linked on this page, as well as these questions
and answers. These questions and answers are directives from the
State Public Health Officer, and have the same force and effect as other
State Public Health Officer directives.

When does the stay home order go into effect and how long will we stay home? What areas of the state are covered?

The order went into effect on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The order is in place until further notice. It covers the whole state of California.

As of May 8, the stay home order was modified. We are now in the first phase of Stage 2. This means in addition to essential activity, curbside retail is allowed, along with the infrastructure to support it. As of May 12, offices, limited services, and outdoor museums are also permitted to open.

Six key health and scientific indicators will be considered before modifying the state's stay home order to allow additional Stage 2 activity.

Essential services that protect public health, public safety, and provide essential needs will remain open, such as:

Gas stations

Pharmacies

Food: Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants

Banks

Laundromats/laundry services

Essential state and local government functions will also remain open, including law enforcement and offices that provide government programs and services.

Businesses in a number of other sectors can now also open, with necessary modifications.
Retail
Retailers and shopping malls can re-open for delivery or curbside pickup, along with the manufacturing and logistics sectors that support retail. Retail does not include personal services such as beauty salons but does include the sale of goods, such as:

Bookstores

Jewelry stores

Toy stores

Clothing and shoe stores

Home and furnishing stores

Sporting goods stores

Florists

Offices (in all sectors, not only critical infrastructure)

Limited Services which do not generally require close customer contact, such as:

Pet grooming

Dog walking

Car washes

Appliance repair

Residential and janitorial cleaning

Plumbing

Outdoor Museums

Dine-in restaurants

Bars and nightclubs

Entertainment venues

Gyms and fitness studios

Public events and gatherings

Convention Centers

Hair and nail salons

The risk of COVID-19 infection is still real for all Californians and continues to be fatal. That is why every business permitted to open should take every step humanly possible to reduce the risk of infection by following these state guidelines.

Yes. As described in more detail elsewhere in applicable state public
health directives (including on this page), there are a wide range of
circumstances in which you may leave your home or other place of
residence, even if you are not an Essential Critical Infrastructure Worker.
For example, you may leave your home to work at any business or other
entity that is allowed to open, to patronize local businesses, or to care for
friends or family members who require assistance (as set forth below).
And errands like these are not the only reasons you may leave your
home: you may also leave your home with or without a specific
destination in mind (for example, to walk your dog, to engage in physical
recreation, or simply to get some fresh air) as long as you maintain
physical distancing and do not gather with any number of people who
are not members of your household.

The California Department of Public Health has determined that all
public gatherings with people who are not members of your household
-in any indoor or outdoor space-should be postponed or canceled to
curb community spread of COVID-19. State agencies are not issuing
permits for any gatherings-of any size, or any kind-at this time.
Gatherings will be permitted again once public health officials determine
they can be conducted in a manner consistent with public health and
safety. In the meantime, please postpone or cancel your gathering, and
consider whether you can find alternative ways to host your event that
do not require an in-person, physical gathering.

Political activity

There are many ways for you to express your political views without holding a physical, in-person gathering. For example, you may continue to call or write elected officials, write letters to the editor of news publications, display lawn or window signs, or use online and other electronic media (including Zoom rooms, Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, and other digital forums) to express your views.

Additionally, as noted above, you may leave your home as long as you do not gather with people who are not members of your household. When you are otherwise out in public, public health directives do not prevent you from engaging in political expression-such as by wearing or carrying a sign-as long as you do not hold a gathering of any size, and otherwise maintain physical distancing.

If collective action in physical space is important to you, consider whether you and other participants can safely protest from within your cars. The State Public Health Officer does not consider in-car protests to be prohibited gatherings, if participants stay in their cars and otherwise remain apart from individuals who are not part of their households. Many activists have organized car-based protests (honking horns, flying flags, displaying signs, and so on) to express their political views while complying with State public health directives.

Whenever you are considering a protest (including an in-car protest), make sure you comply with all other applicable laws, including any local public health measures that may be more restrictive than statewide directives and any other applicable local laws.

Elections are an essential activity, and the Governor has issued executive orders to ensure elections are safe and accessible. Vote-by-mail ballots will be sent to all registered voters for the November 3, 2020 General Election. The Secretary of State and the California Department of Public Health are working on additional guidance to ensure that all Californians are able to participate in elections safely. Existing laws address the use of vote-by-mail ballots in California elections, and those laws remain in effect unless otherwise noted.

Of course, whenever you engage in any permissible activity-including the collection and drop-off of ballots, or other election-related activities-be mindful of physical distancing and other measures to protect yourself and those around you.

Business and taxes

Schools and childcare

Yes, all child care facilities can open with necessary modifications. See the Child care page.

Yes, a child care worker can come to your home if necessary and should adhere to basic prevention guidelines (e.g. handwashing for at least 20 seconds, physical distancing, staying home if feeling ill).

Health care and helping sick relatives

If you have coronavirus symptoms, please contact your doctor through telehealth or use the Symptom Screener self-checker.

If you have other illnesses or chronic conditions, use telehealth to get care from home.

If you need to go to the hospital, call ahead so they can prepare for your arrival. If you need to call 911, tell the 911 operator the exact symptoms you are experiencing so the ambulance provider can prepare to treat you safely.

Preventive care services and non-emergency surgeries, like organ replacements and tumor removals, can take place if hospitals have enough capacity and protective equipment to do so safely. Eye exams and elective procedures should be cancelled or rescheduled. If possible, health care visits should be done remotely. Dental services and preventive dental care may be resumed. Contact your doctor through telehealth to see what services they are providing.

Yes. You may leave your home to obtain prescription medications or cannabis from dispensaries with medical permits.

You can contact your doctor through telehealth to get a new prescription or adjust your existing prescriptions.

You can call the statewide hotline for older Californians at 833-544-2374 for your non-urgent medical needs, to get meals delivered, track down prescriptions and more. The most important thing you can do is stay home for your health and wellbeing. If you are experiencing an emergency please call 911.

Outdoor recreation

It's okay to go outside to go for a walk, to exercise, and participate in healthy activities as long as you maintain a safe physical distance of six feet and gather only with members of your household. Below is a list of some outdoor recreational activities.

*Parks may be closed to help slow the spread of the virus. Check with local officials about park closures in your area. Californians should not travel significant distances and should stay close to home.

Athletics

Badminton (singles)

Throwing a baseball/softball

BMX biking

Canoeing (singles)

Crabbing

Cycling

Exploring Rock Pools

Gardening (not in groups)

Golfing (singles, with carts)

Hiking (trails/ paths allowing distancing)

Horse Riding (singles)

Jogging and running

Kite Boarding and Kitesurfing

Meditation

Outdoor Photography

Picnics (with your stay-home household members only)

Quad Biking

Rock Climbing

Roller Skating and Rollerblading

Rowing (singles)

Scootering (not in groups)

Skateboarding (not in groups)

Soft Martial Arts - Tai Chi, Chi Kung (not in groups)

Surfing

Tennis and table tennis (singles)

Throwing a football, kicking a soccer ball (not in groups)

Trail Running

Trampolining

Tree Climbing

Volleyball (singles)

Walk the dog

Wash the car

Watch the sunrise or sunset

Yoga

State Parks, campgrounds, museums, and visitor centers have been closed to help slow the spread of the virus. A list of all closures can be found at www.parks.ca.gov/flattenthecurve. See a list of outdoor spaces that are open on the Public recreation page.

You can walk, run, hike and bike in your local neighborhoods as long as they continue to practice social distancing of 6 feet. This means avoiding crowded trails & parking lots. Californians should not travel significant distances and should stay close to home.

For information on National Parks, please the National Park Service website.

Government Services

Starting May 8, 25 select DMV offices are open to the public to help with appointments that require an in-person visit. You will be required to wear a cloth mask and must remain 6 feet apart in line. In-person appointments are limited to:

Paying registration for a vehicle impounded because of registration-related issues

Reinstating a suspended or revoked driver license

Applying for a reduced-fee or no-fee identification card

Processing commercial driver license transactions

Applying for a disabled person parking placards

Adding an ambulance certificate or firefighter endorsement to a driver license

Verifying a transit training document to drive a transit bus

Processing DMV Express customers for REAL ID transactions, if time and space allows

DMV services that do not require an in-person office visit can be accessed through the DMV Virtual Field Office, including driver's license renewals, vehicle registrations, title changes, and more.

DMV has extended deadlines for:

All drivers licenses expiring between March 1 through May 31, 2020

Drivers 70 years of age and older will receive a 120-day paper extension

Drivers 69 years of age and younger can request a free temporary extension online

Expiring commercial licenses, endorsements, and certificates are valid through June 30, 2020

In-person renewals for vehicle registrations that expire between the dates of March 16, 2020, and May 31, 2020.

In-person renewals for those with safe driving records whose last DMV visit was 15 years ago

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All individuals living in the State of California are currently ordered to stay home or at their place of residence, except for permitted work, local shopping or other permitted errands, or as otherwise authorized (including in the Questions & Answers below).

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The workers have make sure that everyone has to stay 6 ft apart and keep everything clean.

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The doctors are risking there lives to treat others who have the virus, etc.

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During all this we are not able to go out with our friends and now we have to rely on communicating through text, face-time, or even zoom calls.

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An example of social-conflict would be two people arguing their differences about what's best for our health and stay home or breaking the rules and going out all the time

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I saw this survey and I found out that the impact is falling more heavily on lower-income rather than the other two classes

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Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends Project

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As the economic toll from the coronavirus outbreak continues to mount, a new Pew Research Center survey finds the impact is falling more heavily on lower-income adults - a group that was feeling significant financial pressure well before the current crisis. Overall, 43% of U.S. adults now say that they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a cut in pay due to the outbreak, up from 33% in the latter half of March. Among lower-income adults, an even higher share (52%) say they or someone in their household has experienced this type of job upheaval.

In addition to being among the hardest hit by the economic fallout from COVID-19, lower-income adults are less prepared to withstand a financial shock than those with higher incomes. Only about one-in-four (23%) say they have rainy day funds set aside that would cover their expenses for three months in case of an emergency such as job loss, sickness or an economic downturn, compared with 48% of middle-income and 75% of upper-income adults. And while 53% of lower-income adults say they will have trouble paying some of their bills this month, about a quarter of middle-income adults and 11% of those in the upper income tier say the same.

These personal experiences bring into sharp relief the public's overall assessment of the U.S. economy. Only 23% of adults now rate national economic conditions as excellent or good, down dramatically from 57% at the beginning of 2020.

Job losses continue to be felt more acutely by some groups than others. Roughly six-in-ten Hispanic adults (61%) say they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a cut in pay due to the coronavirus outbreak. This compares with roughly half or fewer of black and white adults. And adults without a bachelor's degree remain more likely to report job or wage loss in their household compared with college graduates.

The extent to which U.S. adults are prepared for a financial emergency also varies significantly across demographic groups. Overall, 47% of Americans say they have rainy day funds on hand that would cover their expenses for up to three months. While this is the case for a majority of white adults, those ages 65 and older and college graduates, it's not the norm for most other groups. For example, only about a third or fewer of black and Hispanic adults, those younger than 30 and those with no college experience say they have this type of rainy day fund.

Among those who don't have emergency funds, relatively few say they could tap into other resources in order to make ends meet. Only 28% say they would be able to cover their basic expenses by borrowing money, using their savings or selling assets.

Even without a financial emergency, many Americans say they have trouble paying their monthly bills. About one-in-four adults (24%) say they cannot pay some of their bills or can only make partial payment on them in a typical month. A larger share (32%) say they won't be able to pay their bills this month. The gap in the share saying they won't be able to pay their bills this month compared with an average month is particularly wide among Hispanic adults: 44% say they won't be able to pay all of their bills this month, while 28% say this is typically the case.

Given these financial constraints, more than half of adults who expect to receive a direct payment from the federal government as part of its coronavirus aid package say they will use a majority of the money to pay bills or for something essential for themselves or their family. About one-in-five (21%) say they will save a majority of the money, and 14% say they will use it to pay off debt. The remaining 10% say they'll use it for something else. Again, there are differences by key demographic groups, with black and Hispanic adults, those without a college degree and those in the lower-income tier more likely to say they will use the money to pay bills or cover essential needs.

These are among the findings of a Pew Research Center survey of 4,917 U.S. adults conducted April 7-12, 2020, using the Center's American Trends Panel.

Amid mounting unemployment claims, the share of American households that have experienced job loss or disruption has climbed significantly in recent weeks. Roughly three-in-ten adults (28%) say they or someone in their household has been laid off or lost their job because of the coronavirus outbreak. A third say they or someone in their household has had to take a cut in pay due to reduced hours or demand for their work. Taken together, 43% of adults say they have experienced at least one or both of these.

These shares are up significantly from just three weeks earlier. At that time, 20% of adults reported job loss, 27% reported pay reduction and 33% said they or someone in their household had experienced either or both.

As was the case last month, these experiences are more concentrated among certain demographic groups. Hispanic adults are more likely than white or black adults to say they or someone in their household has experienced job or wage loss because of the coronavirus outbreak. Roughly six-in-ten Hispanics (61%) say this has happened in their household, compared with 44% of black adults and 38% of whites.

Lower-income adults are more likely than middle- and upper-income adults to say they've experienced significant job disruption due to the coronavirus outbreak. About half of lower-income adults (52%) say they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a cut in pay due to the outbreak. This compares with 42% of middle-income and 32% of upper-income adults.

These experiences also differ by educational attainment, with college graduates more insulated from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. While 46% of those without a bachelor's degree say they or someone in their household has lost a job or taken a cut in pay, smaller shares of bachelor's degree holders (37%) say the same.

Though some demographic groups have been more hard hit than others, increases in the share of Americans experiencing job upheaval in recent weeks are widespread. Across racial and ethnic groups, income tiers, and educational backgrounds, the share of adults saying their household has experienced job or wage loss due to the coronavirus outbreak has gone up in recent weeks. The gaps across age groups that were apparent in March are less pronounced now, as adults ages 30 to 49 are now as likely as those younger than 30 to say they've experienced a major job setback.

For Americans who have suffered job loss or seen their paychecks diminished, cash reserves can be a temporary lifeline. Fewer than half of all adults (47%) say they have emergency or rainy day funds that would cover their expenses for three months in case of sickness, job loss, economic downturn, or other emergencies; 53% say they don't have this type of savings on hand.

The share who have rainy day funds differs drastically across demographic groups, and the groups that have been hardest hit by job and wage losses during the COVID-19 crisis are among the least likely to have these types of reserves. While 53% of white adults say they have rainy day funds, much smaller shares of Hispanic (29%) and black adults (27%) say the same.

Upper-income adults are roughly three times as likely as lower-income adults to say they have emergency funds that would cover their expenses for three months - 75% vs. 23%. Among middle-income adults, 48% say they have such funds.

Similarly, about two-thirds of adults with a bachelor's degree or more education (66%) say they have rainy day funds that would carry them through for three months. The shares are significantly lower for those with some college education (43%) or a high school degree or less (33%).

A majority of adults ages 65 and older (67%) say they have emergency funds set aside. By contrast, fewer than half of those younger than 65 say the same. Even among those ages 50 to 64, the share is only 44%.

Among adults who say they or someone in their household have lost a job or taken a pay cut due to the coronavirus outbreak, most don't have emergency funds to fall back on. Only 38% say they have rainy day funds that would cover their expense for three months.

Most adults who don't have emergency funds would have a hard time accessing funds to cover basic expenses if they lost their income

Of the 53% of adults who say they don't have rainy day funds set aside, most say they wouldn't have easy access to money that could help them meet their financial obligations if they lost their main source of income. Only 28% say they would be able to cover their expenses for three months by borrowing money, using savings, selling assets, or borrowing from friends or family. About seven-in-ten (71%) say they would not be able to do this.

Among those without emergency funds, white adults, upper-income adults and those with a bachelor's degree or more education are among the most likely to say they'd be able to cover their expenses by borrowing money, relying on savings or liquidating assets. For example, while 58% of upper-income adults who don't have rainy day funds say they could cover their expenses for three months by tapping into other resources, only 34% of middle-income adults and 16% of lower-income adults without emergency funds say they could do the same.

Although older adults are more likely than middle-aged and younger adults to have rainy day funds, among those who don't, older adults are just as likely as their younger counterparts to say they wouldn't be able to cover their expenses by borrowing money or using their own savings.

More say they won't be able to pay some of their bills this month than say they can't do this in a typical month

Three-quarters of Americans say they can typically pay all of their bills in full, while 24% say that, in a typical month, they cannot pay some bills or can only make partial payment on some of them. When asked about their ability to pay their bills this month, a larger share (32%) say they won't be able to pay some bills than say this is the case in a typical month.

Women are more likely than men to say they cannot pay some bills - either in a typical month or this month in particular. The share of women who say they will not be able to pay some bills this month is larger than the share who say this is the case in a typical month (38% vs. 30%).

There are also differences across racial and ethnic groups, with black adults particularly likely to say they cannot pay some bills or can only make partial payment on some of them in a typical month: 46% of black adults say this, compared with 28% of Hispanic adults and an even smaller share of white adults (20%).

The share of Hispanic adults who say they will not be able to pay some bills this month (44%) is 16 percentage points higher than the share who say they cannot pay some bills in a typical month. The gap between those who say they won't be able to pay some bills this month and those who say they aren't able to do so in a typical month is less pronounced among white adults and not significant among black adults. Hispanics have been particularly hard hit by job losses and pay cuts related to the coronavirus outbreak.

Not surprisingly, lower-income adults are more likely than those in the middle- and upper-income tiers to say they can't pay some bills or can only make a partial payment on some of them, both in a typical month and this month in particular. About 44% of adults with lower incomes say this is the case in a typical month, compared with 19% of those with middle incomes and just 7% of those with upper incomes. When asked about their ability to pay their bills this month, about half of those with lower incomes (53%) say they will not be able to pay some bills, while 26% of middle-income and 11% of upper-income adults say the same.

When asked for their impression of how the coronavirus outbreak has impacted their own personal financial situation compared with most other people, about half of U.S. adults (52%) say it has hurt their finances less than those of other people, while 10% say it has hurt their finances more and 37% say it has impacted their finances the same as it has most other people.

Black and lower-income adults are particularly likely to say their finances have been hurt more than those of most other people. About one-in-five black adults (18%) say this, compared with 8% of white and 12% of Hispanic adults.

Among lower-income adults, 18% say the outbreak has hurt their finances more than those of most people; just 6% of middle- and upper-income adults say the same. A majority of adults in the upper (65%) and middle (59%) income tiers say the outbreak has hurt their personal finances less than those of other people.

People who say they or someone in their household have either been laid off or taken a pay cut as a result of the coronavirus outbreak are more likely than those who haven't had these experiences to say the outbreak has hurt their finances more than those of most other people (18% vs. 4%). Still, about four-in-ten of those who say they or someone in their household have had these experiences say their finances have been hurt less (39%) or have been impacted about the same (43%) as others.

As part of a wide-reaching economic relief package, millions of Americans are receiving one-time payments from the federal government aimed at easing any financial burdens brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. Some 54% of U.S. adults who expect to receive a payment from the federal government say they are most likely to use the majority of the money to pay bills or for something essential they or their family needs; 21% say they will save the money, while 14% say they'll pay off debt. An additional 10% say they'll use the money for something else, including paying for something nonessential, donating to charity, helping friends and family, or some combination.

Lower-income adults who expect to receive a payment are the most likely to say they will use a majority of the money they receive to pay bills or for something essential: 71% say this, compared with 49% of middle-income adults and 34% of those with upper incomes. Among those in the upper income tier who expect to receive a payment, a third say they are likely to save a majority of it; about a quarter of middle-income adults (23%) and just 11% of those with lower incomes say the same.

There are also differences by race and ethnicity and by educational attainment. Larger shares of black and Hispanic adults than white adults say they will likely use a majority of the aid money they receive to pay bills or for something essential. Similarly, those without a bachelor's degree are more likely than college graduates to say they will use a majority of the money for this. These racial differences are related, at least in part, to the fact that black and Hispanic adults are more likely than white adults to be in the lower-income tier. Across educational attainment, those with some college or less education remain more likely than those with at least a bachelor's degree to say they will use the majority of the money to pay bills, even after accounting for income differences between these groups.

Overall, fewer than half of U.S. adults (46%) say the federal government's aid package will do a great deal or a fair amount to help them and their household. By comparison, about two-thirds or more say this will help large businesses (77%), small businesses (71%), unemployed people (68%), and state and local governments (67%) at least a fair amount, and 49% say this will help people who are self-employed. Lower-income adults (59%) are more likely than those with middle (48%) or upper (22%) incomes to say the aid package will help them and their household a great deal or a fair amount.

About four-in-ten Americans frequently worry about paying their bills or saving for retirement - but these are not new concerns

More than three-in-ten Americans say they worry every day or almost every day about being able to save enough money for their retirement (38%), paying their bills (38%), the amount of debt they have (36%), and the cost of health care for themselves and their family (35%). Smaller but substantial shares say they are worried they may have to take a pay cut due to reduced hours or demand for their work or that they will lose their job (29% and 23% of employed adults, respectively).

These worries may not necessarily be connected to the coronavirus outbreak. U.S. adults actually show less concern now about the amount of debt they have, their health care costs, paying their bills and being able to save enough for retirement than they did when asked some of the same questions in a September 2019 survey, well before the start of the pandemic. Similar shares of Americans who were employed at the time of each of the surveys said they regularly worried about losing their job. (The item on taking a pay cut was not asked in September.)

About half or more of lower-income adults often worry about meeting basic financial needs

Financial concerns are not felt equally by all Americans. Those in lower-income families are at least about twice as likely as those in upper-income families to say they regularly worry about making ends meet in various ways. For example, 59% of lower-income adults say they worry at least almost every day about paying their bills, compared with 15% of upper-income adults. About half of those in the lower-income tier also say they frequently worry about saving for retirement, debt or health care costs, while about a quarter or less of their upper-income counterparts say the same.

Across income groups, those who have been laid off or have taken a pay cut as a result of the coronavirus outbreak - or who say someone in their household has - are more likely than those who have not experienced this to say they worry about these financial concerns almost every day or more often. Roughly half (51%) of those who've had this type of job disruption in their household say they worry about paying their bills at least almost every day, compared with 28% of those whose household hasn't had these experiences.

Women, black and Hispanic adults, those younger than 65, and those without bachelor's degrees are the most likely to report regularly worrying about most of these financial issues.

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About Half of Lower-Income Americans Report Household Job or Wage Loss Due to COVID-19

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As the economic toll from the coronavirus outbreak continues to mount, a new Pew Research Center survey finds the impact is falling more heavily on lower-income adults - a group that was feeling significant financial pressure well before the current crisis. Overall, 43% of U.S.

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How long can people follow the rules may depend on how much they believe they're actually making an impact. Because if we keep doing what were told to do, I believe that this pandemic will end faster but the world will probably never be the same after.

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Nobody can say for sure. But experts told The Boston Globe that most people are likely to struggle with the rules in the long run - unless they know their actions truly make an impact.

Boston empties out to slow the spread of COVID-19 Tuesday after Gov. Baker's stay-at-home advisory went into effect. (Caitlin Healy/Globe staff, Shelby Lum/Globe staff)

"Either people will have faith that what they're being told to do is necessary and makes sense and they're being given enough rationale for it and information - or it'll be very difficult for them to stick with it," said Dr. Edward Silberman, a psychiatrist at Tufts Medical Center.

The psychological toll of sequestering at home could come into play, Silberman said. As social creatures, humans crave time with those they care about, he said, including people they see regularly who aren't friends or family.

But another scientist who studies behavior said that as time goes on, sticking to the rules may get easier as people adapt to new habits while working from home, calling loved ones on FaceTime, and going for walks. It doesn't take long for something that starts as strange to feel more natural, said Katherine Milkman, a behavioral science professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

And, she added, humans' social needs also mean that they care deeply about fitting in with their "herd." Seeing friends on Facebook homeschooling their children, for example, reinforces that staying home is the social norm, and the right thing to do.

"People are actually quite adaptable," Milkman said. "Doing a thing that's unpleasant day in and day out gets easier over time, and gets easier when we see that everyone else is doing it."

Public health authorities could motivate people to stick with the changes, she said, through channeling the "identifiable victim effect," meaning publicly sharing the faces and stories of people who could be hurt if the community broke the rules. Studies show that people care far more about a cause when they hear a personal story than just statistics, she said.

Even within the federal government, a debate rages over the rules, which could prompt more people to flout them.

President Trump has suggested that the economically devastating restrictions were worse than the virus itself and said he wanted the country's businesses "opened up" by Easter. But on Sunday he reversed course and extended social distancing guidelines through April, after New York's hospitals became increasingly overwhelmed and his advisers projected up to 200,000 Americans could die, even with aggressive actions were taken to slow the virus' spread.

Kristopher Cere, 32, a Jamaica Plain resident who lost his catering job due to the coronavirus closures, said that as much as he and others who were laid off need to start working again, the country should heed the experts.

"It's going to be difficult, but if the scientists say it's what we need to do, we have to do it to save as many lives as possible," Cere said. "The quicker we abide by all this, the quicker we can get back to work."

For those who are able to work from home, the measures are even less difficult to handle, said Richard Bonanno, 54, a professor of Italian studies at Assumption College in Worcester. He recommended people read historical accounts of pandemics, famine, and war for perspective, including Anne Frank's diary, which recounts the hardships of a Jewish teenager who hid from the Nazis for two years in an attic with her family.

"This is so minimal, what we're required to do for the good of others," said Bonanno, a Cambridge resident. "We have the luxury of being able to stretch out in our homes, of being able to follow our routines, and this wonderful digital world that allows us to connect with others."

Baker announced last Monday that he was shutting down the state's nonessential businesses, prompting relief from many who had started staying home weeks ago and watched as others didn't.

"It stunk that it's taken this long," said Caty Yuen, 30, a biotech marketing professional who has worked from her South Boston home since March 10. "We can't even start to see any kind of light at the end of the tunnel until everyone stops going out."

Enforcing the rules also could prompt people to comply, as authorities in Italy, Spain, and France have done.

The Baker administration's new order allows for police to penalize those who gather in groups of more than 10. A first offense would result in a warning, followed by a $300 fine for a second offense and a $500 fine or prison for additional offenses.

Kaylin Ridge, 22, a student at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, said she hoped the rules would end in a few weeks.

"That would be really hard" if the situation continued for months, Ridge said, noting that she would struggle to visit her family in North Carolina. "Everything being so different and not being able to go out and get things if I want them is kind of frustrating."

Jill Veader, 20, a North Reading college student and Market Basket cashier, said she was managing fine with her current distractions of work and online classes, for now.

"Once classes end and you really don't have anything to do, that's when it'll be the most difficult," she said. "Another month or two of this I'm down for, but after that it makes me nervous."

Naomi Martin can be reached at naomi.martin@globe.com.

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People are largely following the coronavirus rules - but will that self-control last? - The Boston Globe

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Nobody can say for sure. But experts told The Boston Globe that most people are likely to struggle with the rules in the long run - unless they know their actions truly make an impact. Boston empties out to slow the spread of COVID-19 Tuesday after Gov. Baker's stay-at-home advisory went into effect.

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Another protesting happened a couple weeks ago about trying lift the rules restriction on the beaches