(04-22-2020, 05:13 PM)2006alum Wrote: What do you propose instead? I think I've asked you this in probably a half dozen threads, and you never answer. What, specifically, would you do? What businesses should re-open? How should we handle the lack of PPE? Since the burden of reopening falls hardest on low-income service workers, how do we as a society help shoulder the costs in lives and illnesses that they are likely to incur?
I'm not Mick; and my preferred approach would have been to examine businesses on case-by-case basis. Costco was deemed essential, but the opening bell there was a madhouse for at least 2 weeks before they implemented safety measures. As stated numerous times, golf and tennis were much less risky than Costco, but not allowed because "not essential." Is take out food really "essential?" No, but it's been allowed to proceed, and that's okay by me. But that's just an example of why I thought (and think) the whole essential v. non-essential is a chimera.
But putting all that aside, I'd look at construction. A college friend is pretty senior at a big development firm in AZ. He recently said that of their 74 projects, only 4 are on hold (all in CA). The take the temperature of all workers reporting for duty (anyone askew is sent home for several days, not sure of specifics). The on-site workers I think wear masks (especially if they are in more enclosed area). It seems to be working, although this is anecdotal and about 10 days old. And these are big construction projects. Closer to home, there are 2 houses being remodeled on my block. There were 2 workers per site, maybe a third on occasion. Shut down. I see virtually no risk in having those guys work outside on this project and completing the homes.
And more generally, I'd have an agency whereby businesses can submit application saying 'here is my plan for re-opening; here is what we're doing to promote distancing and make it safe for commerce." Those reviews and approvals could have (should have) been going on for weeks, even assuming a starting point of general lockdown. Is it inefficient and slow? Yeah, probably. But that may not be a bad thing in terms of slowly working your way back up.
Or to put it differently, from a safety/spread standpoint, what is the risk differential between folks shopping at Costco versus Dick's Sporting Goods? I would say none. If you limit the number of patrons; workers wear masks; plexiglass at checkout; etc., I'm not sure I see why those can't open up. Restaurants are intuitively more tricky. Maybe start with those having outside seating capacity, decently spaced. IDK, just spit-balling here.
But it starts with hospital capacity and ability to handle the inevitable increase in cases - without that, the status quo must remain in place. But if capacity, ease things up and hope the inevitable increases in cases will not overwhelm (i.e., be an Italy or NYC Redux) for a variety of reasons, including self-shut-ins, more care exercised by those venturing out, and high risk people being even more careful than the less at risk.
I think GA is being a tad greedy, but I haven't been following their numbers or protocols, just a general sense that May should be when experimental and limited openings begin to occur. But even though I think things may well end up not great, I'm not hoping for that, nor am I really going to be angry or upset at them for trying.