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Tough Questions For Businesses That Want To Reopen

business closing notice
CARL LISCIANDRELLO/WUSF PUBLIC MEDIA
A business closing notice hangs on resturant door in Pinellas County.

Under phase one of the plan announced Wednesday by Governor Ron DeSantis, a number of businesses in Florida will be allowed to reopen Monday. But one analyst says there are still lots of unknowns.

Rob Hooker is an associate professor at the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business. He says reopening brings risks to workers and business owners alike.  

“Do they have a safe workforce? And how do we know? So there are some things that maybe they want to consider there and some larger sociological issues, perhaps, tied to that as well. How do we certify that people are indeed safe in the workforce, without perhaps violating their privacy," he said.

Restaurants and retail operations will be allowed to operate - but only at 25% capacity. Hooker says that might not be enough for some businesses to turn a profit, so owners might wait until restrictions are relaxed further.  

Bradley George was a Morning Edition host and reporter at WUSF until March 2022.
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