decline was about 7,000 ,” Dufrene said . “ So the drop in employment for Southern Indiana was more than four times the level during the Great Recession .”
Government officials struggled to find answers and plans for dealing with the coronavirus greatly varied depending on the state and even the city during the initial weeks of the pandemic . In an attempt to stop the spread of the illness , most states eventually issued stay-at-home recommendations and temporarily closed restaurants , bars and non-essential businesses to in-person commerce .
“ Some workers saw minimal disruptions during the pandemic ,” Dufrene said . “ For businesses and workers who could telecommute , business continued to operate , and in some cases actually expanded . Some industries saw a significant increase in business , and some of these had difficult time maintaining a staff to support the increase in business .”
Wendy Dant Chesser , president and CEO of One Southern Indiana , said local businesses responded to the best of their abilities given the situation .
“ It is not over , and we are still experiencing the ups and downs of this dastardly virus on our public health system , the economy , and our psyches ,” she said . “ However , when things were at their bleakest , our communities responded with compassion and assistance .”
She pointed to local manufacturers and businesses that quickly altered their normal operations in order to produce hand sanitizer , masks and other personal protective equipment .
“ At 1si , we were able to provide updates information to businesses , from our e-blasts about essential businesses and available personal protective equipment to our daily “ Ask the Expert ” series covering topics ranging from marketing during a pandemic to sanitation in the workplace , and from employment law to PPP loans ,” Chesser said .
She also touted the local loan and grant programs offered through Southern Indiana governments and other organizations . The Caesars Foundation of Floyd County , the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana and One Southern Indiana partnered to fund and administer over $ 1.152 million in emergency loans to 123 businesses in Clark County and Floyd County .
LESSONS LEARNED
Following weeks of panic that saw grocery shelves emptied and people afraid to leave their homes , the country began adapting to the new normal . But the business conditions were far from ideal . Some were optimistic that life would return to a usual pace by the fall , but as 2021 nears , the unknowns of COVID-19 are still palpable .
“ Businesses thrive when environmental conditions are predictable , but 2020 has
Dillard ’ s employee Amber Sneed places jewelry on a rack at the clothing store in the Green Tree Mall .
November / December 2020 Photo by Brooke McAfee 21