Dear Editor:

These are unprecedented times we are muddling through. Businesses are closed or limited, schools are out and in some areas done for the year. People are losing their jobs at an alarming rate.

People are getting restless and protests are getting louder. When restrictions are relaxed, it is possible that Covid-19 could resurface because people are moving more. Then you have the so-called “second surge,” which could potentially appear in late fall. This all translates to disruptions for many months to come.

We depend on tourists. Some will not come because they lost their job, others because they are older or immune-compromised. Cancellations of weddings and lodging stays continue. Conservatively, we could lose half the tourist season. It’s possible this summer will be unlike any in recent memory, with some businesses not able to make a comeback as 20% do not have the cash to endure a 30-day shutdown (Source: Bloomberg). Where does that leave us? It means that the bulk of businesses will depend on the year-round residents just to keep their doors open. Refocusing on our local economy may be more important today than any other time in recent memory.

Perhaps a re-assessment of our spending habits is in order. The out of town contractor with the lowest bid? Maybe ask for another quote locally. That Amazon purchase of shoes or clothes can be made downtown. The birthday present on Walmart.com could be bought locally. There will be many restaurants that will open and they will need patronage now more than ever before. We cannot let our local, small businesses fail.

Due to travel restrictions, foreign and migrant workers may not be available for harvesting crops and assisting in agriculture in many parts of the country. There are social media videos showing dairy farmers dumping milk and others dumping vegetables because of supply line disruptions. In addition, many foreign countries are halting food exports (Source: Foreignpolicy.com). One could extrapolate price hikes in produce during the summer, or even shortages of some items. For the first time in years, I'm planting a garden. Perhaps a call to one of Boothbay area’s two garden centers would make sense.

Adam Maguire

Boothbay Harbor