I had an interesting discussion with a frustrated local business owner recently about the challenges facing just about every commercial business during this pandemic.
She talked about the loss of revenue due to the shutdown and the cost of re-opening, which included the installation of COVID-19 protective equipment and, of course, the restrictions about personal distancing, which limit the number of customers allowed in her business.
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She, like other business types I’ve talked to, fully understands the severity of the pandemic. Yet many of them feel that the public health restrictions on businesses are blunting any economic recovery.
I can’t imagine the pressure that businesses are under these days, but we can’t let that frustration cloud our judgment.
The reality is, public health rules are not the obstacle to economic recovery; in fact, public health rules are the path to economic recovery.
We all want businesses to thrive, not just survive, but that’s not going to happen as long as people are getting sick or are fearful of contracting this deadly virus.
The masks, the social distancing and hand sanitizers are short term inconveniences which will help us avoid the long term pain of a lengthy pandemic that could kill thousands, if not millions, and destroy economies around the world.
We need to support local businesses, but we need to play by the COVID-19 rules, or this pandemic won’t go away for a long, long time.
Bill Kelly is the host of the Bill Kelly Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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