Hello all,
After some difficult months for business, Delaware has advanced to the green zone as the state eases into Phase 2.
COVID Exit Strategy recently moved the First State from yellow. Delaware is now one of a handful of states to gain the designation at a time when a large chunk of the nation has moved into the red zone.
COVID Exit, one of many dashboards that track the virus, is useful for business people who want a quick look at the overall landscape.
Among neighboring states, New Jersey has moved into green, while Pennsylvania and Maryland remain in the yellow. Much of the nation’s land mass and the population is now in the red zone.
The dashboard from public health experts measures everything from testing to hospitalizations to growth in new cases.
Delaware shines when it comes to testing, with eight and a half percent of the population getting swab and saliva procedures. The key metric of hospitalizations has dropped from about 330 to below 90.
Not everyone is happy with the effort. A few downstate Delaware senators and house members, questioning the need for widespread testing.
One legislator went so far as to question the need for testing during the height of the outbreak tied to the poultry community.
The fear is that word of more positive cases keeps more people home and hampers the economic recovery. It is true that the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions are still advised to stay home as much as possible.
Others blame governors for not embarking on an all-out effort to control the spread in nursing homes, which have accounted for more than 60 percent of COVID deaths in Delaware.
Seniors staying home is not good for businesses here and elsewhere that depend on an aging population being out and about. Some younger people also worry about spreading the virus to older family members and friends.
The COVID Exit Strategy dashboard offers no clues on whether the economies of green states will fare better or worse than states in the red or yellow categories.
The reopen now crowd is likely to note that the green state of Wisconsin, which saw the governor’s stay at home decision overturned by the state Supreme Court, failed to see a big spike in cases, despite an initial rush to bars and restaurants.
At the same time, many states that reopened before Delaware are seeing a surge in cases. Arizona may have the most troubling trend in the form of hospitalizations that are beginning to put pressure on the health care system.
Closer to home, North Carolina is also seeing a surge in cases, despite restrictions that led to the Republican National Convention moving to Jacksonville.
Whatever the case, the battle against the virus is moving to a new stage. Mass stay at home orders will not be an option, given the potential for further economic damage.
Delaware will keep a close eye on states that push the envelope with mass gatherings.
In the end, it may come down to how we behave. When it comes to COVID, one individual can shed a lot of viruses.
Too many cases would lead to an outbreak that might lead to businesses being forced to close temporarily.
And don’t be surprised that contact tracing efforts evolve into social media posts and other notices that list businesses when a customer or customers after a night of bar-hopping test positive.
As always, your thoughts are welcome. Simply hit reply and type away. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.
