METAIRIE, LA – Governor Edwards issued an Executive Proclamation on March 22nd declaring a public health emergency. The primary premise of the “Stay at Home” order was to slow the spread of COVID-19, because “the extraordinary threat of COVID-19 has caused critical shortages of healthcare equipment, personal protection equipment and possible shortages in hospital beds.”
Today, hospitalizations, ICU usage, Ventilator levels and deaths are on continuous downward trends and most metrics studied are back to normal levels. Information by region has been provided by the Louisiana Department of Health and then eloquently detailed and graphed by the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR) HERE.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors believes a safe reopening as noted in the Council’s Resolution is warranted.
“When all the leading indicators for the shutdown are favorable, and stores begin selling PPE on two-for-the-price-of-one deals, it is time to reopen,” said Todd Murphy, President of the Jefferson Chamber. “We are creating a different kind of pandemic by further shutdowns. Unemployment is double from what we thought was the biggest impediment to employment of our lifetimes, Hurricane Katrina. Our members are seeking out help for bankruptcy, property sales, and mental health concerns,” continued Murphy.
As a leader of Free Enterprise, we are consistent in our messaging for elected leaders to impose sensible guidelines for the overall safety and comfort of the community and then to let public choice and competition dictate which businesses succeed. In this case, after almost six months of safety awareness, patrons and businesses alike will make informed choices.
Older people and those predisposed to this virus need to seriously heed the warnings and the statistics. But for the remaining majority, and for the physical, mental, financial, and economic health of the citizens of our region, people need to be able to make those choices.
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About the Jefferson Chamber:
The Jefferson Chamber is a leading voice for Jefferson Parish’s business community. As a non-profit, membership-driven organization, the Chamber is an effective advocate for small and large businesses at the local, state and federal levels. The Chamber’s mission is to work for the advancement of the business community; to enhance the economic, civic and cultural environment; and to improve the quality of life in Jefferson Parish. The Jefferson Chamber is Four-Star Accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was awarded the 2013, 2015 and 2019 Chamber of the Year Award by the Louisiana Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in the Large Chamber Category. For more information about the Jefferson Chamber, visit www.jeffersonchamber.org, follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn
