Greenville Reporter

The debate over prolonged business closings because of COVID-19 continued in North Carolina after protesters went to Raleigh to voice objection to the governor's restrictive orders and a republican state legislator used social media to gauge people's opinions. 

The News & Observer reported on April 14 that more than 100 protesters went to the state capital to opposing Gov. Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order, saying that it was time for North Carolina to reopen for business. 

Many of the posters at the rally, the News & Observer reported, questioned COVID-19's danger and doubted the accuracy of testing and deaths related to the illness. These beliefs have largely been held within conservative circles of late questioning the need to keep local and state economies on restrictive orders, while the health crisis remains. 

Some people responding to state Rep. John R. Bell's (R-Greene County) unofficial Facebook poll had more similar views as the protesters. 

“The medical professionals should of course be heard, but this is not just a medical/health issue,” John Donahue posted. “This is a quality of life issue. Some medical professionals are now talking about restrictions for a year or more. Who will pay that bill? Who will put food on the table? At some point, you may have to accept risk.”

James Patterson agreed with Donahue, saying that the damage to staying closed is worse than the illness. 

“Precautions should certainly be taken but we can not go much further with keeping our citizens from feeding their families,” Patterson said. “Some of the damage done is already irreversible and the longer it goes the harder it will be for business owners to recover.”

Megan Blair, however, opposed the idea of reopening yet. 

“We should not reopen society until medical professionals advise it’s safe to do so,” Blair said. 

Another constituent voiced frustration over the fact that larger businesses have been able to stay open while the small ones have been forced to close. 

“This whole thing still comes down to personal responsibility,” Mike Spencer said. “I don’t need the government to tell me to wash my hands or avoid sick people, but it seems some people need that. I refuse to be restricted because of stupid people.”

John Thompson, William Mclawhorn and Peggy Duncan said that it is time to get the economy back in business.