By Nicole Montesano • Staff Writer • 

Gov pauses reopening as COVID-19 cases climb

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Comments

RobsNewsRegister

Solely blaming the recent increase in case to reopening is balderdash. The recent spike in Multnomah County coronavirus cases (see link) is evidence the daily protests (and some rioting/looting) in Portland spread the coronavirus. First, Multnomah County was, and remains, a closed county because of this spike. It has not been granted permission from the governor for a Phase 1 reopening. Second, Memorial Day was early this year (May-25th). Given the virus has a gestation of 4-10 days, though admittedly potentially up to 2 weeks, the spikes for the the weeks of May 31st and June 7th align with the those number of days after protests began.

The murder of George Floyd was horrific. However, a virus that is little more than a strand of RNA has no regard for the noble reason people gathered daily in large groups yelling, screaming, and chanting for hours and hours for weeks on end. The issue in not the protest itself, but they should practice social distancing and we need to stop politicizing our response-to and reporting-of a virus. It is astonishing how differently the media and some health officials treat the transmission risk during a protest and other, say less politically favorable in their minds, gatherings.

https://multco.us/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/regional-covid-19-data-dashboard
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/public-health-experts-just-exposed-an-infuriating-and-dangerous-double-standard/ar-BB154L3E

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Regardless of the cause, it seems prudent to hold off on business as usual....

RobsNewsRegister

I don't think anyone is arguing to go back to business as usual. However, if they keep small businesses in Multnomah county closed indefinitely, not even allowing them a chance to meet the requirements needed to operate in our new normal, there may not be any small businesses left when the 'green light' is finally given. Who can stay afloat with no income forever? Its already been over 3 months.

For point of reference, my gym did a fantastic job. All equipment is 6 feet apart. There is a hand sanitizer station right as you walk in the door. Lockers, showers, drinking fountain are closed. You wipe down equipment after use. Let the small business owners do what they do best; create and adapt. FYI - 24 Hour Fitness declared bankruptcy this week.

Pedro

Rob I really like the way you think. As hard as it would be to comply with and socially distance the way we were asked to in the beginning people would have been more more compliant and more willing to make significant changes to their life if those requests were consistent and made sense rather than large discrepancies, conflicting and counterintuitive.

RobsNewsRegister

Thanks. I'm worried about our small business people. They did a poll at the beginning of the crisis and about half of the small business respondents said they only had enough cash to last two months if closed. Its now three months for many of these businesses.

Some were able to get government assistance, but a lot of the larger companies and franchises gobbled up the money. They had the resources to fill out the paperwork faster before the money ran out. If these small businesses don't make it our communities really change.

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