Columbia wants to know how badly coronavirus is affecting local businesses
Columbia wants to know how the coronavirus is affecting local businesses, as city leaders consider support for local businesses amid the virus’s national economic fallout.
If the results of a survey for small business owners posted on the city’s website match national data, it would show local businesses struggling under the impact of lockdowns and self-imposed isolation.
On Tuesday, the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce released numbers from a national survey that showed 91% of respondents reported being impacted by COVID-19. Eighty-eight percent have lost revenue, and 70% half lost more than half of their income.
Even in areas that don’t have shelter-in-place orders, 30% say they have been forced to shut down due to a fall in consumer demand. Of those remaining open, 38% have cut employee hours and 17% have laid off workers.
Columbia’s web poll asks for business owners’ concerns about the pandemic, whether it’s the falloff in customer demand, a lack of income or health concerns. It seeks to find out how coronavirus has disrupted businesses, whether through reduction of hours, sanitation conditions or supply chain disruption.
The survey is especially interested in whether a business has cut back its number of employees and by how much. On Thursday, the state of South Carolina announced a 1,600% increase in unemployment claims in the past week, as thousands of workers have been affected by the ongoing shutdown.
Columbia also hopes to identify businesses’ biggest needs now. The survey asks if they need relief from taxes and utility payments, rent or mortgage, or short-term capital.
City leaders are still considering ways to help small businesses dealing with the economic fallout of the coronavirus, including a statewide shutdown of dining rooms at bars and restaurants. Mayor Steve Benjamin has proposed a $6 million economic stimulus package, including a $500,000 loan program for businesses with 100 employees or less, and a $1 million fund to support loans from banks.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 12:44 PM.
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