Within the past few weeks, El Paso has seen a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases and although Judge Ricardo Samaniego issued a quarantine and shutdown of El Paso businesses, the Texas Governor Greg Abbott overturned the order  and allowed for businesses to reopen. Then, in less than 24 hours after a court of appeals cancelled the county judge’s shutdown order as the city deals with one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the country. On Saturday, the city of El Paso reported 1,512 new COVID-19 cases and 15 additional deaths.

This is a problem, and the Texas Governor shouldn’t have overturned Judge Samaniego’s shut down. Texas Governor Greg Abbott really needs to reconsider the judge’s shutdown order and shutdown all businesses again.

There is currently 77,977 COVID positive cases and 876 deaths and they need to reduce these numbers by shutting down El Paso businesses. There are too many cases in El Paso at the moment and they must reduce those numbers by limiting the amount of people should go out in public. Without the shutdown, people are overcrowding bars, restaurants and large gathering events. During these events, people aren’t wearing masks or following social distancing rules, therefore, the virus is much more spreadable. The shutdown, which the Texas Governor repealed, prevented people from going out as much and restricted large gatherings. Businesses are complaining that they might lose money, but right now, money shouldn’t be their main concern.

Another reason for why they should reconsider shutting down businesses again, is the fact that El Paso’s hospital are simply at full capacity and their medical personnel are overwhelmed and lacking the right tools to assess all incoming COVID patients. Right now, too many people are going out in public and this leads to them getting sick. The nurses and doctors right now are tired of seeing people pass away.

A travel nurse, Lawanna Rivers, said that she served at five travel posts around the world but said that El Paso was the worst she’d seen so far. Rivers said that the sickest patients at the hospital were all put into an area called a “pit,” where, she said, they were essentially left to die.

If businesses shouldn’t reopen, then that means schools shouldn’t reopen either. Schools are as much of a hazard as say a bar or a large gathering. Even with social distancing rules and safety precautions, a new study from Norh Korea shows that elementary, middle, and high school students spread the coronavirus as much as adults.

Right now, is not the time to reopen El Paso. Our hospitals are overwhelmed and there’s just too many cases and deaths here. But, if we should reopen, then there should be much stricter rules and precautions, fines against those who don’t follow these rules, and an even earlier curfew for everyone.