It is no secret that the COVID-19 has had a tremendous, negative impact on small and local businesses, and restaurants in particular. Restaurants’ indoor seating has been closed down in Illinois for almost a year now, and they have just recently opened back up. What I don’t understand is that it was still okay to go into a grocery or department store and shop, but you couldn’t comfortably eat inside a restaurant. Health care officials claimed that it was okay to eat inside a heated tent though. So, ask yourself this: If the tent is still enclosed, then what is the difference between eating in a closed tent and eating inside? Something seems wrong with this picture. 

I believe that restaurants need to be allowed to stay open for indoor dining no matter what. The fact of the matter is that these restaurants are not surviving and will continue to go under without its semi-regular business. Yes, carryout orders were available, but people want and need to get out! With everything else not being normal nowadays, sometimes people just want to go sit down in a restaurant without having to clean up the mess and leave their worries behind. I feel that most of the time people go out to eat because it’s easier. No cleanup, you get waited on, and more appropriately in this case, you get somewhat of social interaction with others. 

If numbers were to rise again, I believe that the Governor needs to either shut everything down, or keep everything open as it is, but at a smaller capacity. Although people do need to be cautious, I feel that there is absolutely no reason for there to be so many different rules that contradict each other, and hurt businesses too. If you are someone who enjoys seeing small businesses thrive, then I strongly encourage you to to spread the word to fight for equal rules for these businesses! GO SUPPORT SMALL!