As COVID-19 continues to ravage the world, business owners throughout the United States are pleading with local governments to lift restrictions on business operations.
According to The Center Square, thousands of people came to the state Capitol to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s restrictions.
Employees who have been unable to work for weeks said that Whitmer’s decision to lock down the state was improper and that it would have been better if she had simply quarantined those who had tested positive for the coronavirus.
“There're almost 10 million people in Michigan, and six counties have 85 percent of the sick,” an Amway employee told The Center Square. “There’s no reason that the whole state has to be locked down.”
Small business owners whose businesses are family-run have claimed that they could safely conduct business without endangering anyone, calling out inconsistencies in the restrictions, as essential activities such as grocery shopping could just as easily spread the virus.
Businesses with a small number of employees have said that they are unable to keep their heads above water at this time.
The Michigan Conservative Coalition (MCC) cohosted the protest at the Capitol and commented on the fact that the protest seems to be helping the state move in the right direction.
“I just saw the governor on TV live, and she’s already talking about coming up with a plan to reopen the state of Michigan,” Matt Seely, spokesperson for the MCC, told The Center Square. “So the fact that she’s already backpedaling shows that this pressure we’re applying is making a difference.”
The event was carried out peacefully and was nonpartisan.
During the protest for the reopening of the state, some people were countering the protest, cautioning that premature opening of the state could backfire.
Finally, some citizens with a moderate approach are pushing for responsible return to work, with precautions such as social distancing and donning of face masks.
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