Salem can wait, covid can't

By Fiona Byers, Class of 2022

Published 11/17/20

International borders? Closed. Schools? Closing. Salem, Massachusetts? Somehow still open. Around this time of year, the famous city gets a lot of traffic- which is an issue at the moment. People travel from all over the country to visit this state famous for its Halloween theme, but this can hurt both the locals and the visitors.

To combat the case numbers, the city officials have placed many restrictions on Salem. One night Airbnb rentals are being cancelled to prevent house parties, bars aren’t open, and indoor haunted houses are prevented from opening. These are just some measures being taken, businesses are being shut down earlier and so are parking garages.

As much as people want their fun Halloween trip, what Salem is doing is right. Salem’s covid cases are steadily on the rise, going from 754 on October 1st to 1,077 on October 25th. Salem creates a good example for other towns in terms of tourism. Tourism may stimulate the economy, but it isn’t worth it at the expense of the lives of those who live there.

While a nice Halloween night is great, knowing you’re safe and keeping others safe is even better. A Halloween house party can wait; save your travels for another year.