Local Businesses React to Coronavirus
Photo by rustybrick is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Local businesses and companies have been shut down because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Signs like this were hung on the doors of these facilities as of March 20, 2020. Toni McElvaney, owner of Rita’s, said, “Being shut down is a negative for the business owner and the employees. It’s hard to deal with because I am only a seasonal business.”
The COVID-19 outbreak has caused many businesses and companies to shut down due to risk of employees becoming infected with the virus. As of Friday March 20, 2020 all non-essential businesses were ordered by Governor Tom Wolf to close. Companies such as Rita’s Italian Ice, the Philly Pretzel Factory, and Dairy Queen have been closed for almost a week.
For seasonal businesses such as Rita’s Italian Ice, who are only open during the spring and summer, it’s very challenging dealing with the closure.
Toni McElvaney, owner of Rita’s Italian Ice in Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville said, “It is a negative for the owner who has bills to pay and is suffering from financial loss. In my case, March and April are my biggest months and now I’m losing out.”
Rita’s employee, Ethan Albon said, “It renders people unemployed or without work for however long this is going to last. It’s damaging the economy. The stock markets have been fluctuating and getting close to collapsing. I doubt any employee or employer is happy about the situation.”
State-owned businesses such as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (Penndot) are also dealing with the loss of having their facilities shut down.
Matthew Whitaker, manager of Penndot said, “It’s been both positive and negative for me personally. My daily schedule has changed drastically. My daily routine requires me to travel throughout the Commonwealth and visit all Driver License and Photo Centers. Since Governor Wolf decided to close all of these places, it has eliminated this part of my job.”
On the other hand, some businesses are required to stay open due to the fact that they are essential even during a crisis like the outbreak people are now experiencing.
Scott Hahner, owner of Hahner Brothers Roofing said, “I want everyone to be safe, but we need to be able to work. It’s blown out of proportion in my opinion. I think if people used a little bit of common sense everyone would be fine.”
Throughout the day, humans come in contact with all types of people. This is frightening many because people can be carriers of diseases and not have a clue that they are doing so.
Hahner also said, “It’s scary because you don’t know who your employees come in contact with. I had to eliminate the amount of customers coming into the office for this reason.”
As of March 26, 2020, Governor Wolf is hoping that all non-essential businesses can reopen for business on March 30, 2020.