The COVID-19 pandemic is still very real in Alabama. Our state recently crossed the 125,000-case threshold, while more than 2,000 people with the coronavirus have tragically passed away. Thousands of people remain hospitalized.
Those are the cold, hard facts, and they are indeed unfortunate. We need to continue doing our best to mitigate the spread of the virus, protect vulnerable groups who are most at risk and alleviate the burdens being placed on Alabama’s hospitals. Mask-wearing and social distancing certainly help.
However, at the same time, the public-health risk of a novel virus is not the only tragedy. While keeping the pandemic’s direct victims in our hearts and minds, we also need to remain mindful of its economic impact. Let’s face it: Alabama’s economy has been decimated by the coronavirus, and the far-reaching repercussions of business closure and job loss outweigh the public-health risks posed by the coronavirus to the vast majority of state residents.
…
Read the full op-ed on Gulf Coast News Today by Mark Bankord, the founder and owner of Trajectory Promotional Solutions in Loxley, Alabama, and a partner of the Job Creators Network Foundation.