As Maine’s coronavirus-related deaths flatline and state hospitalizations drop to near zero, it seems the worst is behind us. If a surge does happen down the road, our hospitals are now better equipped to deal with breakouts. Both are reasons to continue the staged reopening process and not slip backwards like other areas across the country.
Tax revenues have drastically declined, causing the governor to call for 10 percent cuts in all departments. Maine’s unemployment rate is double pre-pandemic levels and over 50,000 people who had a job earlier this year don’t have one now. Continuing the reopening process and alleviating the fear of travel nationwide is the prescription our economy needs to kick the pandemic.
Putting COVID-19 into perspective will help flatten the fear. We need to approach the pandemic logically and rationally. The facts matter. The opinions of public health experts matter.
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Read the full op-ed on Bangor Daily News by Stacey Guerin, Maine State Senator, a small business owner and a partner of the Job Creators Network Foundation.