It should be only days or weeks now until we see if the shelter-at-home easements have had a negative impact in the coronavirus crisis or if returning toward normal is OK.

This past week, and specifically the weekend, brought people out of their houses and into public areas. We saw people playing golf, biking, hiking and picnicking around the county. Most were practicing some sort of social distancing, while others were exchanging the occasional quick hug or even kiss.

We really don’t know what is necessary and what is being overly cautious, but I always remember a sign on the drive to the airport that says “please drive as if your children were playing here.”

That seems like a reasonable way to treat our approach to the risks involved with this contagion. If we act as we would if it were our own children or grandchildren we may be infecting by our actions, we would probably be our most cautious. Try looking at it that way.

Another area newspaper had a letter to the editor this morning that was very pointed at Gov. Tom Wolf for classifying real estate transactions as nonessential. It seems the governor doesn’t see anything too special about a person’s right to shelter.

Most of us will never make a larger purchase in our lives than the purchase of our home. In most cases, it is a 30-year commitment or about four times the real commitment of marriages today.

Yet, it is declared nonessential for real estate offices to be open. Most likely they will be announced as cleared to open when the next phase passes, but it is unclear (as are most Wolf decisions) why they were closed to begin with.

Social distancing during a house showing wouldn’t be hard. And certainly, the virus wouldn’t be spread if the transactions were taking place online.

Real estate services have remained open and functioning in other states through the shutdowns. Others have placed partial restrictions on it. Pennsylvania has imposed the toughest regulations, although Western Pennsylvania has been a poster child for trying to follow the rules.

It is time Wolf takes a real look at what business he is killing. Maybe even his still-open family cabinetry business would benefit even more from real estate sales being an active profession.

Obviously, having shelter is a basic human right and a life-sustaining business. And to deny it is an insult beyond any explanation possible. But to not even bother to discuss your reasoning behind closing down the entire industry is rude and irresponsible.

Gov. Wolf, open up the doors for Pennsylvanians to buy and sell homes; and do it now.