OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Some Oklahoma businesses remain closed out of fear of being exposed to the coronavirus, despite being allowed to reopen.
Businesses such as barber shops, hair and nail salons, and spas began reopening April 24 in many cities. Gov. Kevin Stitt said they could resume business as long as they follow social distancing and sanitation guidelines. But massage therapist Syd Lowery in Norman said she will remain closed.
“It’s a little terrifying to be honest. I work for myself, I go to peoples’ homes. … I don’t think we’re ready to reopen,” Lowery said, adding that massage therapy is “the opposite of social distancing.”
The state health department on Thursday reported more than 3,600 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 222 deaths in Oklahoma. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.
Lowery said she and her husband, who owns a computer repair business, are staying home with their two children and have applied for unemployment compensation. They’re surviving on savings and a check from the federal government provided under the coronavirus relief bill.
“Unemployment hasn’t come through … we have seen nothing,” said Lowery, who nonetheless was counting her blessings.
“We’re really fortunate. We have each other and we have healthy kids. We’ve been blessed. We have food in our refrigerator right now. Some people don’t,” Lowery said.
In Oklahoma City, Zio’s Italian Kitchen will reopen it’s in-house service Friday, in accordance with the governor’s guidelines, said Jennifer Holliday, a manager at the venue.
Holliday said she has no fear of being exposed through contact with customers. She believes she had the virus in February, though it was not confirmed.
“I feel maybe I’ve got some antibodies built up … but it’s my job, I’ve got to do it,” said Holliday.
Holliday said getting furloughed employees to return, though, has been difficult as many are not returning phone calls or messages that the restaurant is reopening.
“There are some who want to just ride it out (until July) and take the unemployment, they don’t even have to apply” for other jobs to receive compensation, Holliday said.
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission said those who do not return to work could lose unemployment compensation. Stitt said Thursday that the purpose of the benefit is to serve as a bridge from one job to another.
“Part of our standards are, the unemployment is there until you get re-offered a job,” Stitt said. “If anybody feels concerned about going back to work we’ll have to work through those issues.”
Stitt also announced plans to send teams in vans to rural and previously under-served areas to test more people for the virus.
“As we test more people we will still find new cases in Oklahoma,” Stitt said. “Our infection rate is going down, of all the people we’ve tested just 5.67% are coming back with a positive test,” down from more than 10% of positive tests at the beginning of April.
A decline in the percentage of positive tests is among the criteria Stitt has cited for his plans to allow business to reopen.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
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