EDITORIAL: Protect RI’s Summer at All Costs From Third Wave
Sunday, March 21, 2021
The decision by Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee to roll back coronavirus restrictions is dangerous. It places the state's recovery at risk. It puts in jeopardy our enjoyment of the summer and our tourism economy.
More people congregating, more people out drinking, more people inside eating without masks have all proven repeatedly to increase the spread of the virus.
Cases turn into hospitalizations and then some sadly into deaths — and we saw just about 2,600 in Rhode Island due to the pandemic in the past year.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAcross the country and the globe, politicians have repeatedly tried to outsmart the virus. The virus remains undefeated.
Today, Rhode Island has more cases than it did when the state was placed in lockdown in April 2020.
The data shows that Rhode Island cases per 100,000 have increased over the past 10 days.
Yes, there is good news — people are getting vaccinated. The vaccination program in Rhode Island has proven to be mismanaged, with poor communications and technology. There is no excuse for these ongoing failures by the Rhode Island Department of Health. While we rank 5th for first vaccinations, we rank a disappointing 37th for fully vaccinated.
Variants are now sweeping across the U.S. — new strains of the virus that are more contagious and more deadly — further delaying and diminishing our odds of a swift recovery.
Here is the reality. Reopening quickly when there is a high level of contagion increases the chances of a third wave, and this is not a bet we should be making. Is dinner indoors at an Applebee's on a Tuesday in March equal to family and friends over for a cookout on the 4th of July?
The Biden administration has provided nearly $2 billion in aid to Rhode Island's government. Financial support -- in the tens of millions -- should be used to subsidize Rhode Island businesses that will be impacted by continuing restrictions. Pay them. Make it fair.
So much of Rhode Island’s mental and physical health is based on the ability to enjoy Rhode Island’s summer.
So much of Rhode Island’s economy is based on millions coming to visit Rhode Island in the summer.
Tourism is the second biggest sector in the service industry that provides over 50,000 jobs and earns the state over $5.75 billion annually.
Reopening the state now is a big bet -- and the odds are terrible.
There is too much virus presently and the past year has proven that the virus always wins.
The game is fixed. We lose.
The game isn’t fair.
But fair or not, we need to protect the summer.
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