This archive report was first published on 23 April 2020.
US Governors Face Economic and Health Challenges Amid COVID-19 Pandemic ¶
As the US grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, governors face a delicate balance between combating the virus and mitigating the economic crisis.
With states struggling to cope with the overwhelming flood of unemployment filings, the debate over when to lift restrictions has intensified. According to a Pew Research Center survey released on April 21, 2020, 52 percent of low-income households reported someone in the household had lost a job due to the coronavirus, compared to 32 percent of upper-income families.
Those without a college education have taken a disproportionate hit, as have Hispanics and African-Americans, the survey also found. The economic crisis has also taken a toll on state governments, with revenue streams plummeting due to the pandemic.
President Trump criticized the decision of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to allow many businesses to reopen, saying the move was premature given the number of virus cases in the state. Kemp announced on Monday that he had cleared the way for a measured process meant to bolster the economy, but the decision was immediately assailed by public health experts and others.
States around the nation have been trying to balance combating a public health crisis with the need to ameliorate a growing economic crisis. In some states, small protests have urged governors to ease restrictions, but polls have found that Americans are more fearful of easing restrictions too early than too late.
On Wednesday, Mayor Carolyn Goodman of Las Vegas called for the city's casinos, restaurants, and other businesses to immediately reopen but declined to provide any guidance on social distancing measures that might protect employees and customers.
