# Where is this April 1, 2020 reopening timeframe coming from? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 23, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116 "2020-03-23T20:08:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/1 "2020-03-23T20:08:48Z")
Today I made some calls to cancel memberships that I can no longer use afford (gym, etc). 3 distinct places rolled straight to voicemail and stated that they were closed until April 1, 2020. (Separate rant, but naturally billing isn’t suspended, just access to the services). Where are all the businesses getting this April 1 talking point from? I know Trump is, per usual, on Twitter spouting some word salad that might be interpreted as a 15 day window. But I’m not aware of any official publication hinting at any “reopening date”, or what that date is, or, most critically, under what authority Trump believes he can compel private businesses or non-federal governments to force people to work in a pandemic situation. Where’s the April 1 date coming from? Is it April Fool’s? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/2 "2020-03-23T20:11:48Z")
My DMV office says it will reopen April 2nd. I think they went with that date because if they had gone with “We have no idea when we will ever reopen”, people would lose their minds. ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/3 "2020-03-23T20:14:58Z")
Because everything needs to be open again before my birthday, damnit, and it’s high-time the nation at large realizes that. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/4 "2020-03-23T20:23:50Z")
> [@Kovitlac](#): > > Because everything needs to be open again before my birthday, damnit, and it’s high-time the nation at large realizes that. Too late for that for me, March 26. 🙂 The late March dates that many stores have given aren’t worth the electrons they’re printed on when there are shelter-in-place or stay-home orders until at least the first week of April, never mind any extensions. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/5 "2020-03-23T20:37:27Z")
When the government first started getting serious about the emergency the announcements of changes were for the next two weeks (with the understanding it would be lengthened if necessary). The idea was to reduce public fear by keeping it to two weeks rather than announcing indeterminate or long term restrictions/shutdowns. My guess is 04-01-20 is two (or four) weeks from one of those announcements. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/6 "2020-03-23T20:41:51Z")
I agree that it’s bullshit. Around here the network of beer stores, which has long been equipped to take back empty beer bottles, was given the exclusive monopoly to take back empty wine and liquor bottles, refunding the deposits, and recycling them. They claim to have suspended the service “until March 31”. I very much doubt that will happen. Definite dates about anything in the context of COVID-19 is more of a political gimmick. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/7 "2020-03-23T21:35:02Z")
I think of it more as not being willing to plan any further ahead than that. That is, not promising to stay closed any longer than that based on today’s information. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/8 "2020-03-23T21:42:50Z")
You might look at the announcements of your governor and mayor–there have been many announcements of two-three-four week coronavirus fighting policies from them. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/9 "2020-03-23T21:55:49Z")
From what I recall, the shit really hit the fan the weekend of Mar. 14-15 and it seemed that for a lot of jurisdictions mandatory shutdowns took effect on Tuesday, 3/17, I assume so businesses could use Monday 3/16 to tie up loose ends. April 1 would be the 2 week point (yes, technically 2 weeks+1 day) which seems to be the minimum duration for most shutdowns. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/10 "2020-03-23T22:00:43Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > You might look at the announcements of your governor and mayor–there have been many announcements of two-three-four week coronavirus fighting policies from them. It’s all over the place. State & County: 10 days ago, issued school closure “until the end of the month” State - today issued “shelter in place for more vulnerable groups” County - today issued “shelter in place for everyone except for essential activities” The local level directives are progressively dire, but the Business People (including Chief Business Person Donald Trump) are acting like business as usual is about to crank up again. The sad thing is, the red-state governors will probably toe the line, putting millions more at risk. White-collar workers will keep humming along in safety, everyone else will put their lives on the line in an effort to juice Trump’s political prospects by November. Maybe it won’t happen but it’s so incredibly sad to even be having this conversation. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/11 "2020-03-23T22:07:45Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I agree that it’s bullshit. Around here the network of beer stores, which has long been equipped to take back empty beer bottles, was given the exclusive monopoly to take back empty wine and liquor bottles, refunding the deposits, and recycling them. They claim to have suspended the service “until March 31”. I very much doubt that will happen. Definite dates about anything in the context of COVID-19 is more of a political gimmick. “Given the exlusive monopoly to take back empty wine bottles”? It was my impression that it was more or less forced on them and they’re perfectly happy to have a break from it. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/12 "2020-03-23T22:43:59Z")
> [@Dark\_Sponge](#): > > … My guess is 04-01-20 is two (or four) weeks from one of those announcements. This is what I say, too. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/13 "2020-03-23T22:54:20Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > “Given the exlusive monopoly to take back empty wine bottles”? It was my impression that it was more or less forced on them and they’re perfectly happy to have a break from it. I agree. It was, in fact, forced on them, but they do have a monopoly as the only ones entitled to do it. It’s a damn nuisance for them as the whole system was geared to taking back empty beer cases and cans, not random-sized loose wine and liquor bottles. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/14 "2020-03-23T23:02:13Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > The local level directives are progressively dire, but the Business People (including Chief Business Person Donald Trump) are acting like business as usual is about to crank up again. It’s not “business as usual”, but many businesses have adopted “remote work” and other policies to try and maintain operations. Which is a good thing. Yes, it sucks that many people are temporarily out of work. But it would suck more if EVERYONE was out of work and there was no one to distribute food and supplies (including medical), maintain infrastructure like the Internet, deliver goods, and other stuff that society needs to, you know, not collapse. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/15 "2020-03-24T12:09:04Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > It’s not “business as usual”, but many businesses have adopted “remote work” and other policies to try and maintain operations. Which is a good thing. Yes, it sucks that many people are temporarily out of work. But it would suck more if EVERYONE was out of work and there was no one to distribute food and supplies (including medical), maintain infrastructure like the Internet, deliver goods, and other stuff that society needs to, you know, not collapse. What you’ve described above is the status quo, which (IMO) is about the most appropriate thing we can do. Those things are already happening. Trump wants to change the status quo, because it’s “worse than the disease”. And he wants to end it in a matter of weeks. He’s unwisely made the stock market his only metric for success, and it’s cratering. The stock market isn’t entirely his fault, but he’s staked his whole presidency on it. That’s how I understand his speech (though he keeps it deliberately vague in case there’s a need to walkback). Did you understand it differently? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/16 "2020-03-24T14:09:14Z")
Here in Ohio, the school closure order was “Until April 4, and then it’s going to be extended to the end of the year”. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/17 "2020-03-24T14:56:55Z")
Not sure if this is the best of the myriad threads in which to post this, but I caught [this NYT oped by David Katz](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/opinion/coronavirus-pandemic-social-distancing.html), in which he proposes more targeted “vertical” quarantines, after a set period of general quarantine. Says 2 weeks basically “reboots” the general population, after which we can consider protections aimed at the most vulnerable, and most likely transmissions. Haven’t studied it enough to ascertain whether he is a crank, but this sort of approach does make considerable sense to me. I admit that I might find it attractive because it jibes w/ my predisposition. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/18 "2020-03-24T15:22:22Z")
500 deaths in the country and big brother tactics being taken? I am starting to believe the conspiracy people. ---
**Author:** ![mjmlabs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mjmlabs/32/69_2.png) [@mjmlabs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmlabs)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/19 "2020-03-24T15:30:19Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Where’s the April 1 date coming from? Is it April Fool’s? Pretty sure the statements should not be parsed “We will reopen April 1st,” which seems to be how the OP takes them, but rather “We will definitely not be reopening before April 1st; that’s what we know for certain right now.” If/When local authorities extend the shutdown for those businesses, I betcha the outgoing voicemails will change. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116/20 "2020-03-24T15:53:04Z")
> [@mjmlabs](#): > > Pretty sure the statements should not be parsed “We will reopen April 1st,” which seems to be how the OP takes them, but rather “We will definitely not be reopening before April 1st; that’s what we know for certain right now.” If/When local authorities extend the shutdown for those businesses, I betcha the outgoing voicemails will change. Well, here’s what I have (paraphrased) > [@](#): > > We anticipate that the [school district] will continue digital > learning and teleworking through at least March 31st given the announcement from > Governor Shithead on March 16, 2020 and potentially through Spring Break (April 6-10, > 2020). > [@](#): > > Effective immediately, our facilities are closed until April 1st. Members will be credited for that time. > [@](#): > > Effective immediately, our doors are closed until March 31st at the earliest . > [@](#): > > After careful consideration, our facility has been closed until April 1st . And for what it’s worth, Governor Shithead announced on 3/16 that all school districts would be closed. So I guess in our state, it’s clear that everyone is keying off Governor Shithead, but it’s curious that Trump and Governnor Shithead and everyone else is working off the same 15-day timeline established around 3/16. I’m wondering where that came from. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-april-1-2020-reopening-timeframe-coming-from/850116.md?page=2)