Sherman R. Frederick
Marinscope
Every year we at this newspaper take a dive into the progress of the year as it relates to Marin and the people who live here.
2020 is a challenge, to say the least. It’s hard to write about the future when you’re in the middle of a pandemic and small businesses and everyday people alike scramble to survive through these unpredictable times.
The coronavirus virtually shutdown Marin from mid-march to today. Although there is good news on the horizon (see page B3), life as we knew it changed, possibly for as long as we can foresee.
Some people have not been out of their homes for months, not even to see children or grandchildren. In-person worship has adapted to virtual worship on YouTube or Zoom. Every single event, festival and parade in Marin fell one-by-one to virus precautions. To boot, funerals, weddings, anniversaries and birthday celebrations have been altered or wiped away.
When you look back at the historic events that were cancelled, it is stunning. Did you ever think that a virus would take down the Dipsea footrace?
All Marin graduations, normally a big in-person deal in Marin, took place in a variety of ways without the usual hugs and kisses of students saying goodbye to their classmates.
Marin is a place to be on the Fourth of July. From Novato to Mill Valley, we usually have parades, balloons and hot dogs coming out of our ears. This year the streets were empty save for a few brave folks who took to the streets in American-decorated bikes to celebrate America. Bully for them.
And as we head into the fall, there is little relief in sight. Schools will mostly remain locked down, opting for virtual school until the coast is clear. No Friday night lights and no college sports.
So, where do we go from here?
Well, based on the resiliency shown so far in the county, a steady return to some semblance of normalcy seems likely. Just this week, the FDA announced the emergency use of convalescent plasma therapy which promises to ease the suffering of many COVID-19 patients and potentially reduce the current mortality rate by up to 35 percent. And, once a vaccine is achieved, the pandemic should be over.
It’s been a hard row for commerce. Those businesses that have survived, seem to be showing the way, rolling with the punches of coronavirus rules that have changed with the understanding of statistics and evolving properties of the virus. It’s forged new and better alliances with local governments, cutting through red tape to keep business flowing.
Every Chamber of Commerce in Marin has proactively kept businesses informed of the rules and brainstorming ways to cope. In Downtown Novato, for example, merchants worked with the city to close the town’s main drag and make it an outdoor street fair atmosphere. It allowed restaurants to serve customers in a safer environment as well as attract people weary of the shelter-in-place rules to get outside socialize with masks and physical distancing.
Though outdoor dining has been welcomed by patrons, it’s only a fraction of regular seating capacity. It’s the federal paycheck protection program that keeps businesses going.
It’s a stop-gap until the virus dissipates and everyone is hoping that will happen very soon. And when it does it will make 2021 all the sweeter.
(Sherman R. Frederick is the publisher of Marinscope Community Newspapers. You may reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)
Leave a Reply