OP-ED: La Crosse businesses asking public to follow health recommendations

The vitality of the La Crosse Area economy is incredibly valuable to us all; our businesses and nonprofits are key contributors to the quality of life in our region. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed significant stress on our regional economy, and it is important that we all get back to work as soon as possible. For this to happen, our employees need to believe they are safe at work; that their children are safe to return to schools and childcare facilities; and, as consumers, that we all have confidence to begin visiting our favorite spots again. 

The answer to how to get our economy healthy and thriving again is simple, yet challenging. We all need to follow our public health experts’ recommendations – socially distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands frequently. There is strong scientific evidence that these behaviors will significantly reduce the rate of infection in our community, especially wearing a mask. 

The more of us who take these simple steps, the more schools, businesses, and other vital organizations can return to more normal operations. We applaud all those businesses and individuals who have embraced these practices and are making them part of their daily routine.

Many are doing a great job. We also commend the efforts of our school districts to formulate the best plans they can for our kids in the face of very difficult circumstances. Let’s support our local businesses, our children, and their schools. Mask up, wash up, and stay apart. 

Recently, the Wisconsin Technology Council, one of our most respected state-wide nonpartisan business organizations, unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the practice of wearing masks and social distancing. 

The Council affirmed these measures would dramatically improve the economic health of our state and avoid the devastating impact of a future “stay at home” order. The resolution states that widespread adherence to these behaviors will hasten the day when capacity limits in public places can be eased, further strengthening our economy. This resolution is based on the best scientific information available to us, and as a community we need to continue to follow good, reliable advice of this sort. 

We know you can choose not to follow these best practices; we agree that you have that right. Even so, we are asking you to choose to help our communities, not because you have to, but because you want to. 

Our region has always taken care of one another and this is what we need to do for each other now. If we want our businesses to thrive and our children safely in schools, then all of us need to do our part – wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene, and avoid large gatherings. 

In our opinion, these are the most important things all of us can do for ourselves, for our families, for our co-workers, and for our fellow community members and neighbors. 

Let’s make the La Crosse Area the safest region in Wisconsin and get our economy going. 

Respectfully, 

La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, and supported by: 7 Rivers Alliance Altra Federal Credit Union Downtown Mainstreet, Inc., Explore La Crosse, Festival Foods, First Supply and Gerhard’s Kitchen, Bath and Lighting Store, Gundersen Health System, Kaplan, La Crosse Area Development Corporation, La Crosse County Logistics Health Inc., Market & Johnson, Mayo Clinic Health System, Trane Technologies, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Verve, a Credit Union, Viterbo University, Western Technical College