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Get a handle on the virus before opening the county

April 24, 2020

OPINION by RICKI LANSING

My elderly parents live in San Luis Obispo County where they are considering opening the county now. I have some concerns about SLO County reopening.

I understand through the news media that SLO County is considering opening. While I understand the need to do so for the economy, I have major concerns. How will the county enforce people coming from Southern California, where the virus is still out of control? If our beaches, restaurants, stores, bars, and other non-essential services open, we could see an increase from these infected areas and thus bring more COVID-19 here.

Also, people from the Valley coming here to camp on the beach and use our resources will impact the safety of our residents. Look at our grocery stores, while they ask for masks to be worn, walk through Vons in Arroyo Grande and you will see it is not enforced, just a sign asking you to wear them.

I sure hope we open slowly and make contingency plans for not allowing non-residents from other counties to use our resources. Look at our golf courses, many people from outside the county come to use them. In fact, Monarch Dunes now checks ID and does not let non-residents use the course over the weekends.

On another note, I would hope the state/county would thoroughly review all types of businesses before allowing them to open.

In our area, there are many antique stores and secondhand stores. Many of these stores are like Petri dishes with so much stuff in them, it looks like a hoarding home. The isles are narrow, and the cubby holes for each dealer are even smaller. People come into these stores and touch everything. In some cases, you can smell the mold/mildew in these stores from all the old stuff. Many of the people who come into these types of stores are either tourists or older people who are high risk from the danger from COVID-19.

These stores should not be opened in the first or even the second round of openings. Let us make sure that we have a handle on the virus and enough testing both for COVID and Anti body testing before we open these Petri Dishes.

I would hate to have SLO County become the states next hot spot for the virus, because of our greed and lack of enforcement.


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YES, just look at the Today Show mistake which announced that SLO County was opening up!


-1

Fine, have your folks stay at home. Or better yet go live with you.


1

Ask your parents to stay home if your worried. Maybe they will. And maybe they won’t. I’m pretty sure they are able to make their own decisions… Meantime, the rest of us will get back to work.


16

Who in the He#$ is the Government to tell Citizens what Jobs are and are not Essential? All Jobs are Essential for the Family to earn a living, to pay their rent, to feed their Family!

#ResistTheShutdown


16

If you are elderly, vulnerable, etc. stay sheltered at home. In the mean-time get back to work, open the beaches, parks, theaters. Those who make the rules are gainfully employed… the rest is politics now. Show me the science.


16

Thumbs up, enoughalready. . One of the best and simplest comments yet, regarding virus and ending job destruction.


This need to shelter carefully applies specifically to our aging nuclear family unit due to multiple risk factors enoughalready states. We agree it’s on us (elderly) to behave accordingly (we mask, slavishly wipe down even sealed food packages, and TIP TIP TIP like King Midas everywhere you go, to help pump the economy and thank those who are working) and it is on us vulnerables to not expect protracted huge economic suffering societywide, . Open it !


6

And when I catch debilitating corona then come save me!

This does not just effect the elderly and vulnerable. It can destroy the health and life of those that are young and in good shape. No one is immune.


0

Just as ALL lives matter, ALL jobs are essential. Not ALL are being asked to sacrifice equally. We can still save lives, but need to do it so everyone CAN thrive. That means the vulnerable isolate themselves, for awhile, while society develops the cure.


23

I hear the SLO theater is set to re-open.


They are going to show Atlas Shrugged.


Wingers get your tickets now online, they will sell out soon.


The rest of us may hit the old pause button on squeezing into tight quarters merely for the economic benefits of stock holders.


You can demand people go back to work. But consumers make the decisions in a consumer driven economy.


Forcing businesses to open earlier than necessary hurts the business owner.


-29

Yeah, because sitting in your car at the Sunset drive-in is definitely risky.


16

“The rest of us may hit the old pause button on squeezing into tight quarters merely for the economic benefits of stock holders.”


Nice strawman argument.


“Forcing businesses to open earlier than necessary hurts the business owner.”


Can you quote any REAL business owner who doesn’t want to open?


15

May as well leave it shut down until August at this point.


Why, you say?


Because the unemployed who staff the bauble shops and restaurants that cater to shoppers and tourists are now making more than they were in their jobs, and will continue to do so for the near future. All in the comfort of their own homes without the risk of viral infection that comes with dealing with the public and co-workers.


They don’t just get California unemployment. They also receive a weekly check for $600, tax-free, as a result of the Federal CARES Act, which pays until the end of July.


Even if the lockdowns ended tomorrow, there is no way they would give up the better life they have now for the hassle of working for lesser wages at risk to their health. Their former bosses could hand them their jobs back on a silver platter, and they’d just laugh.


It gets even better. The Democrats in DC will assuredly agitate to extend CARES Act benefits past July…maybe WELL past July. And if this persists, “essential” workers who are keeping the country afloat in potentially dangerous jobs may opt to join the ranks of the unemployed as they realize how good the slackers have it compared to them.


If you’re a small business owner, this may be your opportunity to fold or relocate to a free(er) state, because both the Federal and California governments have a target painted on your back.


2

For the low wage worker you may be right about UI benefits. For the rest of the earners it doesn’t cover nearly enough.


I don’t think anyone, even you, can make an argument that CA UI benefits offer enough money cover rent in metro markets, let alone food and other necessities. It can’t be any lower with CA economics. Yet it is still more than low age workers make. Hmmmm.


You don’t realize it, but you make the point for an increased Minimum Wage.


Nice job Ralph. I agree with you.


-14

And how badly did we blow out the federal deficit, which was already blown out due to poor budgetary discipline by the 2016 to 2018 GOP Congress and Trump? Fiscal Conservatives, LOL! Above all, this completely pissed me off.

An accurate review of low income economics. Few are going to show up for work. Few are going to shop. Good job Ralph!


0