A few states decided over the weekend to try reopening, against the advice of health experts who worry about coronavirus spikes caused by additional services. Georgia is one of the states that allowed businesses to reopen. States are grappling with the economic impact of the virus.

Georgia salon owner Tammy Noboa told CNN the decision to reopen was easy, “I have to work. I’ve got bills to pay,” she said and said that she had accepted seven appointments for Saturday.

The United States now has over 52,000 COVID-19 deaths and over 924,000 cases of the disease according to Johns Hopkins University. Health experts have referred to data modeling that shows no states should open before May 1 and that many should wait longer.

Both Johns Hopkins researchers and the Trump Administration recommend that a state should see a declining number of cases for two weeks before reopening. No state has hit that threshold, according to Business Insider.

South Carolina is letting nonessential businesses open if they follow social distancing guidelines. Citing economic reasons, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said in a press conference, “We are still in a very serious situation … we must be sure that we continue to be strict and disciplined with our social distancing. Our goal was to cause the most damage possible to the virus, while doing the least possible damage to our businesses. South Carolina’s business is business.”

Read more about protecting yourself from coronavirus. Check the CDC website for more information on how to protect yourself and check our latest article to learn how COVID-19 differs from the flu.

Scientists believe that the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus, started at an exotic animal market in Wuhan, China. You can help stop the incidence of viruses like these by signing this petition to ban the wildlife trade.

This is a good time to reconsider our intake of animal products to stay healthy. Eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

Interested in joining the dairy-free and meatless train? We highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Catch up on our latest coronavirus coverage in One Green Planet, check out these articles:

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