Does Ciarrocchi not know Pa. already has a plan to reopen?

This is in response to the guest column published in the Daily Local News on May 3, 2020, “It’s time to get Chester County residents back to work.” Of course author Guy Ciarrocchi, CEO of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry, represents those who want to reopen. Understandably, he speaks for our hurting businesses.

Or does he? Is his plea for health in every respect for our community, showing faith we can restore our economy safely? Our economy over the past few years has been gangbusters strong. Does wanting to open prematurely show faith in our economic strength and resiliency or actually demonstrate fear about its potential weaknesses?

If he is advocating for customers to return to our stores and restaurants, then he certainly would not want those businesses to be a very source of future illnesses and death. Take my neighbor Hilda, who ONLY goes out to get her hair done. If that is her ONLY excursion, it won’t take her grieving family too long to isolate where she contracted a deadly virus. Our workers will assume that they became sick from a too hastily opened and unprotected employer.

I appreciate he referenced the millions to address the state’s deficits in education, roads, health and senior services, services we DO need to bolster. Meanwhile, as Governor Murphy of NJ said on May 4, 2020, “Good public health creates economic health.” Yes, jobs are preferable to handouts or loans, but a sick or dead worker isn’t earning. We have yet to understand the behavior or long-term effects of this virus. It is ignorant of the science we do know and generally irresponsible to encourage the ill-advised opening. Yes, there will be a “multiplier effect” as all of us, business owners and customers, watch the death and illness rates climb.

He calls for a plan, but the commonwealth of Pennsylvania already has published precise, measured steps to reopen various industries in a responsible manner. Let’s use them. That is the way to put this virus in our rear view mirror. Without prudent, scientifically supported behavior, we all, including our businesses, will suffer. True, mature trust in our business and industry sector will show patience.

Andrea Cauble

Exton