First off, I have a masters in microbiology and worked in a research lab for about a decade. Then I quit the rat race and went to a small town near "The Ranch" and started a liquor store. It's been ok, I'm not rich but have been able to churn my startup capital enough to have a salary and several employees. We do our best to serve our community, anyway.
We have been in a quandary with this virus. As a former scientist, I see the graphs, I read between the lines and I know what's coming. This is going to be bad. And we are all going to lose some money. Just think how excited we were January 1st 2020 about how much better this year was gonna be. Then the Iran thing happened, then this started breaking through our conciousness. How bad will it get?
We don't know. And we aren't getting much info from on high. First I thought that the government might tell me what I should do at the store. What a joke. They aren't responsible for anything, they told us. Do you close, putting your livelihood at risk? Do you allow the vector access to your cooler doors and counter? How do you keep yourself and your customers safe?
We're in denial out here in the Hinterland. Many don't believe the virus will get us, others laugh and say, “bring it on!" But our rural communities are exactly the ones which can benefit from small precautions and can slow the virus. We're not doing much yet though. Most people are just waiting until it gets here to change. It drives me crazy. And there are still no guidelines for retail businesses.
There needs to be standards for doing business right now. Right. Now.
So for my store I have decided to make the following small changes:
>Let the two employees who are the most vulnerable, not work for a few weeks. It is only a few shifts and they are not dependant on the income but dealing with a couple hundred people a day would expose them to too much risk.
>Wipe down counters, wash hands. The bleach solution is not the most attractive smell, still it beats nothing.
>Ask employees everyday whether they feel good or have fever.
>But the biggest change we are making, starting today, is we are locking our doors and going to only use the drive through window.
Leaving people in their cars limits our exposure and theirs. They should wipe down their debit card and probably the bottles and wash their hands after dealing with us, but they will be safer and so will we.
We have no confirmed cases in our county, but the virus is here. I know it and you know it. So I have decided to be a community leader, not a follower. Maybe I can slow the disease for a day, maybe I can inspire others to look for solutions (online ordering and paying with local pick up, limiting numbers of people in the store at the same time, wearing gloves when handling money, etc.). Maybe all of us can do one little thing that will slow this just a bit. We are not helpless, we just have to look beyond the government for answers.
This is real, people. Let's fix it together.
Ok, I'm going to garden for a bit, then I'll go down to the store awhile to help. Check with you later.
