Phoenixville Agrees On Aiding Business, Not On Defying Wolf Order

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Gyms and small restaurants seem to be feeling the worst pain as their indoor business was the target of what the governor said are temporary measures to slow the pandemic's spread.

Amid surging COVID-19 metrics in the state, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf one week ago called for a three-week "pause" on indoor dining and other business taking place in

But a contingent of Pennsylvania business owners is resisting the governor's order, preparing letters and refusing to close. One Facebook group of Pennsylvanians, created to "Defy the Governor," has 51,000 members.

The governor's temporary order prohibited indoor dining at restaurants, limited business customer capacity to 50 percent of the building's code occupancy, and called for the closure of indoor operations of gyms and fitness centers. Movie theaters, arcades, casinos, bowling alleys, clubs, and some other forms of indoor entertainment were told to close temporarily, and in-person school extracurricular activities, including sports, have been suspended.

Indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings to 50 under the order set to last until Jan. 4.

In a Thursday news conference, Wolf was asked what he has to say to businesses that are affected by the order. Wolf said, "The fact is that the virus does quite well when people gather indoors."

Phoenixville Patch readers expressed frustrations, some sharing the sense of defiance and ready to stay open or to patronize businesses that defy the governor's order and stay open.

One Phoenixville reader said, "It's easy to have an option when you aren't in their position. These people need to put food on their tables and support their families. I’ll 100 percent support any business that chooses to remain open."

Another echoed that sentiment, writing, "Let them stay open! People have a right to make a living and we all should have the freedom to choose to support them, or not. The numbers do not support the damage we are causing to these small businesses, our children's education, and the overall mental health of our communities."

Many were supportive of the impacted businesses, saying they would find ways to help them.

"I try to support restaurants by ordering takeout and delivery. If I hear of businesses defying orders, I’ll choose others to support in that fashion. If these business owners worked with Wolf to pressure their federal legislators to provide the relief needed to abide the shutdowns instead of simply defying orders, we’d all be safer. Other countries are getting through this much better than us, and that’s a big, big part of how we have done it," said one reader.

Others also reframed the issue to point to the need for federal support so the businesses can survive, finding the temporary closures reasonable as a means to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

COVID-10 has now taken the lives of 13, 392 Pennsylvania residents, according to the state Department of Health. In Chester County, 443 people have died of COVID-19, the county health department reported today.

"We should be shut down, and folks should be supported financially too. They're not mutually exclusive," said another Phoneixville Patch reader. "The governments worldwide pay their citizens to stay home so they can combat the virus, while our government gave us a single check of $1,200 months ago. Other countries are handling the virus far better. Ours is handling it the worst."

Another agreed, saying, "I think that they should get financial assistance so they don't have to choose between staying in business and protecting people's health."

There was an agreed-upon concern for restaurants and gyms to survive, and even sympathy for the struggle, but quite a few readers had no patience for waiting around for government assistance while businesses go belly-up.

"I don't see the government, that demanded they close, offering them any compensation to make up for it. People have to eat, including restaurant employees," one reader said.

Some readers felt strongly about following the order to slow the spread of the virus, and even pledged to remember who the defiant businesses are, after the pandemic.

"I won’t step foot in those businesses that stayed open even after the pandemic is over," wrote one reader. "They are making it harder for businesses that are doing what's right for the community. I will help the businesses that care about the community instead."

But a sense of injustice was expressed by many about the seeming inconsistency of ordering small businesses closed while malls and big-box retailers are open.

"So it's OK to close restaurants while the servers are wearing masks, following safety precautions and tables are 6 feet apart, while shopping malls and stores are packed, (shoppers) standing in line and not social distancing? These restaurants should stay open to feed their families and save their businesses. How rude and insensitive to say you would not support them!"

Another reader said businesses defying the order should be fined, adding, "The restaurants can do take out or outside dining only. Gyms should close. We need to get this virus under control. People need to do their part. We are a united nation we do things to help our nation."

Many said those who are afraid of catching COVID-19 should stay home while those who are not afraid go out to eat.

"We need to support these people. Go eat. If you’re scared stay home," said one Phoenixville reader."

Another said, "I definitely would go to a restaurant if they were open. We have gone to several restaurants before this shutdown and they follow all of the guidelines and take all of the precautions to keep their diners safe. If someone doesn't feel safe dining in a restaurant then they should just stay home."

"They should stay open and protect their livelihoods and everything they have worked hard for. This arbitrary closing of businesses is out of control. If you're afraid, mind your own business and just stay home. I would definitely go," another writer.

One local gym owner said she is complying, but said, "it's beyond frustrating." She posted a set of figures from contract tracing in New York that showed gyms were not likely places that COVID-19 is spreading.

Many also called on the community to support the order and help get the coronavirus under control.

"The remedy for small businesses is not continuing to spread the pandemic, it's Congress providing the financial aid for them to wait out the pandemic. If people spent half the time calling their Senators that they spent (complaining) on social media about government destroying business, most businesses would have shut down for a shorter period of time, and the virus would be more manageable right now," one reader said, adding, "If you want to live in a society with other people, you forfeit the right to think only of yourself. That's why we have laws."

Another reader pointed out that big-box stores and other businesses staying open represent a different set of conditions than smaller indoor business spaces. "Just go if it's absolutely necessary, and keep your (darned) mask on. There are other obvious reasons why a big box store is safer than a restaurant, like better ventilation, and you have to take off your mask to eat."