Restaurants across the state of Michigan have been giving the green light to reopen but my question is, for how long?

I hate to be a negative Nancy here and really hope that I am wrong for the restaurant owners and their employees. Gathering seems to be the problem with COVID-19 and that is what has kept restaurants closed for in person dining for almost a year. We are at one of the worst times since the pandemic has started and now is when it is decided to put people in the same room again?

Working downtown, I witnessed what happened last time restaurants and bars were opened prematurely, the doors opened with many dining outside, then within a few weeks many employees were diagnosed with COVID-19, many customers where there in the same situation and about a month later, everything was closed again.

I know that most restaurants and bars have put new safety protocols in place plus they are limited to only operate at 25% capacity with social distancing measures in place. But it just seems that it is inevitable that these businesses will wind up right were they started in a matter of time.

I know that these restaurants and bars need to survive and I get it. It just seems that the state should have waited until more people have been vaccinated and warmer temperatures would have set in.

Maybe there is more science and data out there that went into this decision that has not been made public but even the first shutdown last March and April, it really should have lasted through the summer or at least until August.

Political views got in the way of a public health crisis that wasn't unique to this country, this is a world pandemic and when most of the world cannot agree on anything, there is no way the world agreed that a pandemic is a good thing to have happen so again there was no reason for this to be a political issue.

I don't go to a mechanic to have my heart checked, none of us need any advice from politicians and how to handle a health crisis, especially at the time when the United States government wasn't listening to scientists and health experts at all.

You don't just blink and problems go away. I hope the state got it right by letting people to gather again, but my guess is in 6 to 12 weeks bars and restaurants will be closed again except for those serving outdoors when the weather warms.

Let's all hope I am wrong.

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