Members of the local business community have written the Premier, questioning the impact and costs of what they say appears to be the adoption of a new strategy in the province’s response to COVID-19—that is zero cases.
You can read the full letter to the Premier here.
The letter applauds the leadership and direction in extinguishing the curve in Newfoundland and Labrador but warns against waiting for a vaccine before reopening society.
The letter suggests that the full price of the policy be communicated to the public to allow debate over the benefits, and especially the costs.
Among the costs outlined by the signatories are the impacts to mental health, domestic violence, issues faced by at-risk youth, and the “uncounted and unaccounted” deaths and diagnoses caused by locking down non-COVID parts of the health care system.
They also express concerns about the impacts to business, employment, education and child care.