Health District Board Asks Community to Wear Masks to Save Local Economy

Members of the Chelan-Douglas Health District Board took a moment during Friday afternoon's meeting to implore the community to wear masks for the sake of the local economy.

"It isn't about personal conviction. It is about doing what we need to do to support our friends and businesses so they don't lose their lifelong investments." Vice-chair and Douglas County Commissioner Dan Sutton said, "If I have to wear a mask to keep a business open, so they don't have to go through what I went though, I'm going to wear a mask."

Sutton was forced to close the Cottage Inn, an 80-year-old Wenatchee restaurant, in late April.

"We in this argument do not have the 'biggest stick.'" continued Sutton, "I just ask you to understand what those business owners are going through. If it takes putting some of your personal feelings about this aside to save a business, I would ask that we be compassionate towards those businesses."

With many businesses are on a razor's edge right now, Sutton added that we as a community can either be compassionate and do what we need to do to get our economy rolling again, or we will continue to see a failure of businesses.

According to Yelp, of all closures on the platform since March 1, 35% of closed retail businesses are permanently closed.