From a toilet paper shortage to closing all schools, COVID-19 has affected over millions of people in the U.S. and now many businesses are also feeling the effect. 

Around early April, many states were forced to close shops that include hair salons, barber shops, clothing stores, restaurants and non essential stores. Some business owners are dealing with financial problems, such as struggling to pay their rent. Grocery stores and pharmacies are the only stores that are able to stay open. As workers are losing their jobs, others aren’t getting paid for taking sick days off. With the virus spreading rapidly, who knows when stores are going to open back up again.

In mid-April, there were talks about reopening stores since some states were moving up to Phase 2 and Phase 3.

By the time May came by, states around the U.S. were opening up retail stores, restaurants, gyms, nail salons and other non essential stores that were previously closed. Business owners are taking precaution by practicing safety guidelines like cleaning their stores everyday, staying six feet away, and protecting themselves by wearing masks. Fast food restaurants are allowing in store pickups and delivery.

Though these stores might be open, not all states are in the same phase.

The state of New Jersey still isn’t on Phase 2 and Governor Phil Murphy doesn’t want to move to the next phase until he has a “high degree of confidence” of opening the state back up. The chance of opening all stores around the U.S. is indefinite for now.