Editor:

I realize this “virus” is a terrible “thing,” but let’s put it in the proper perspective.  How many people reside in Liberty County? I looked it up, it’s 61,500. How many infected? As of this writing, 17. How many died? Zero.

 What’s the percentage of people in this county with the virus? 6,150 is 10 percent, 615 is 1 percent, 61 is less than 1 percent. 

Look at Long County, with 20,000 people and one  person infected, 0 deaths.

But on Fort Stewart, the Food Court Arby’s/Boston Market are closed, Fort Stewart golf course is closed and no carts for rental revenue, Cherokee Rose members can rent a cart but it’s closed to non-members so no new revenue. The Hinesville Oglethorpe outdoor mall is closed. 

Stop killing our great country’s economy, eating establishments can have tables spaced farther apart, put the outdoor tables back in front of the food court/outdoor food trucks retail business on Fort Stewart/off post. 

Liberty and Long counties had a growing economy and I was told by local businesspersons the economy was doing great. 

Let’s open up the Highway 84 mall, meaning new jobs and tax revenue. 

The virus is bad, but let’s look at the miniscule percentages/no deaths. Lowes, Walmart, Mini Mart, there’s no 6 feet minimum distance there. But help is on the way, President Trump will have virus economic task force of top business persons to get this freefalling economy back on track and hopefully his taskforce will read this letter, get some ideas and get this horrible free falling economy back on track. 

Joseph B. Stuart

Hinesville