SLO County has flattened the coronavirus curve. Let’s get started on economic recovery

The people of the Central Coast have a lot to be proud of in our response to the coronavirus pandemic. Through great discipline, impressive collaboration and supreme sacrifice, we have flattened the curve of infections, boosted our health care capacity and developed a data-driven framework for reopening our economy in a safe and responsible manner.

We are all founders and board members of REACH — formerly Hourglass Project — an economic action coalition serving the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. We are also residents, business owners, parents and family members and have joined with all of you in willingly taking on significant disruptions to our lives and livelihoods for the greater good. And many of those changes —physical distancing, wearing masks in public — will be with all of us for some time to come.

But with each passing day, the socio-economic impacts of prolonged shutdown are compounding. These impacts are landing hardest on small business owners, local employees who cannot perform their jobs from home, and those who were already struggling to get by.

The lockdown of our lives and economy was never supposed to go on until we eradicated the virus or developed a vaccine. It was intended to flatten the COVID-19 curve, prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed and buy time so a cushion of additional capacity and needed supplies could be built. We have accomplished those goals here on the Central Coast. Now it’s time for all of us to move forward together.

We wholeheartedly endorse SLO County’s Steps to Adapt and Reopen Together (START) Guide — driven by a team of medical experts, overseen by a panel of local elected officials, and enhanced by the participation of more than 250 leaders representing our local business, faith, education and civic organizations. This document is based on sound science, protects our most vulnerable citizens, and balances public safety with economic realities. It is rooted in data and able to adapt as that data changes.

Most importantly, the START Guide moves us away from choosing which organizations are either “essential” or “non-essential.” Instead, it maximizes choice by giving businesses, organizations and institutions a clear framework to reopen by meeting easy-to-understand, medically sound guidelines that are practical and fair. This is the right move, but one we cannot take without the state’s blessing. We therefore urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to take note of our low rate of infection, high level of preparedness and meticulous reopening plan and allow us to implement it.

We live in a remarkable region, blessed not only with natural beauty and a high quality of life, but also with a strong sense of community, compassion, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.

Let us harness those energies and come together in a way we can all be proud of as we engage in a phased reopening of our communities and our economy.

Founded in 2019, REACH, formerly Hourglass Project, is an economic action coalition serving the Central Coast Region, partnering with both SLO and Santa Barbara counties on reopening planning and economic recovery. Viewpoint authors are board members Ty Safreno, CEO Trust Automation, REACH board chair; Rick Stollmeyer, CEO MINDBODY; Sue Andersen, CEO Marian Regional Medical Center; Dee Lacey, co-owner of Lacey Livestock; Clint Pearce, CEO Madonna Enterprises.