A new type of coronavirus test could turn the tide by revealing who has already recovered. Those immune people could go back to work first.

More than 85% of Americans are under stay-at-home orders, and at least one-third of the world is under some type of lockdown., 

The restrictions promote social distancing to "flatten the curve," or keeping the number, r of coronavirus infections at a level that won't overwhelm health, are systems. But keeping so many people at home is also tanking the global economy and depriving students of education. About 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance in the past two weeks, and the US restaurant industry had hemor, rhaged about $25 b, illion as of March 22. Major universities have switched to remote classes, and public schools AR, e closed indefinitely in states including California, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Plus, of course, staying at home is making many of us lonely and stir-crazy. So the question on many people's minds is: When will the lockdowns end?

Experts can't say for sure. The US's social-distancing guidelines ha,, ve, been e, xtended through at least April 30. According to Davidson Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine at Boston University,, some relief could come in mid-May. Epidemiologists at Har, vard University think intermittent lockdowns may need to extend into 2022, with social-distancing m, easures in place 25% to 70% of the time.