Small Business Owners Agree with Doctors: Shelter in Place

On Sunday, March 22, four physicians, Aaron Milstone, Daivd Aronoff, Tufik Assad, and Devin Sherman held a phone press conference responding to Governor Lee’s Executive Order 17. Over 1,500 TN physicians are calling for a shelter in place order immediately to save lives. The front-line medical professionals who issued the letter delivered important messages about public safety and the importance of self quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians were pleased with Gov. Lee’s “steps in the right direction”, but believed there is a need for more strict steps to insure the safety of the community and help our health care workers take care of those who are sick.

Many small business owners across the state are urging Governor Lee to listen to the concerns of these physicians and believe that containing the spread of COVID-19 now is in the best long-term interest of their communities.

Jenny Rogers and her husband own and run Welcome Valley Village, a lodging company in Benton, TN. Yesterday they made the difficult decision to close their business until April 30. “My heart goes out to small business owners,” Jenny said. “This is hard on all of us, particularly restaurant owners and hospitality businesses. But I believe that the economic repercussions of not containing this pandemic, are far worse than taking steps now to flatten the curve. Small businesses will be far better off in the long run with a ‘shelter in place’ order, and I urge Governor Lee to listen to the advice of medical professionals.”