I was at home for almost three months without work and it was not a
happy moment due to the ongoing pandemic. In NJ alone, the
unemployment rate reached 15.3% in April (Marcus, 2020) due to the
temporary closing of the business and establishment that helped put
food on the table for these people. “The jobless rate is the highest
since record-keeping began in 1976, the state labor commissioner said
and exceeded the national rate, which hit 14.7% in April. A staggering
38.6 million people across the nation and 1.1 million in New Jersey
have filed claims for unemployment benefits since the start of the
public health crisis.” (Marcus, 2020).

With the pandemic crisis at its peak, it was obvious and difficult for
the people to apply for the unemployment and approval in NJ. I also
work for a small business in Cape May. It is one of the best beds and
breakfast places named “Casablanca and the Harrison Inn” both located
in Cape May, NJ. When the stay home order hit, it was truly an awful
experience as every family of Casablanca and the Harrison Inn were
directly affected by the pandemic aftershock.

The whole country was in economic meltdown and all kinds of businesses
especially the small businesses were affected. However, when the
government started to open the states in phases, they introduced an
SBA (Small Business Administration) loan also termed as Paycheck
Protection Program whose main target is to help businesses especially
small ones to keep their workers/workforce employed during this
crisis. When my boss Kelly and Andrew called me and asked if I was
able to work, I was reluctant at first. Without a cure I felt as if
something is pulling and stopping me from leaving my home since
opening the business is also risking the chances of infection.
Anthony Fauci, US top infectious disease specialists, says,” if we
open soon it could lead to new coronavirus infection and deaths.”

It is important to look after the human costs rather than the
economic costs. Reopening the business aids the declining economy and
even though health experts warn us of dangers of reopening the country
sooner, if proper precautions and meticulous planning are done, one
can control being infected with the virus. In other words, without
strict health and social distancing, reopening the country will
possibly pose to be more dangerous. Casablanca Inn also had plans
regarding the control measure for virus spread. Hence after
considering the safety measures taken, my perception changed, and I
agreed to continue the work.

We are strictly practicing social distancing, at work. I appreciate
all the help my bosses are doing to make us comfortable midst this
crisis. Since there is an expansion in testing, we must rapidly
improve treatment options. Now due to pandemic a lot of business must
remodel their strategies of operation so that they can operate even
when another pandemic resurfaces. There must be a reasonable
compromise, a reasonable mix of pace and degree of opening coupled
with loosening of social distancing and wearing masks at work. When
reopening, business plans must be prepared to ensure the public health
and a balanced economy issue. Each state or locality will have to make
local decisions and make sure the impacts of epidemiologically and
economically.

I am lucky that I could work in an environment where proper safety
precaution is adopted. However, there are a lot of other companies
that are unable to restart their business and the promise for
employment for their employees is still vague. 

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