This week, Wake County Taxpayers Association shared JLF’s Becki Gray advice on how to balance solutions to COVID-19 and economic recovery. Gray writes:

Thousands of businesses have closed; some from direct government lockdown, some from lack of customers due to government actions. Some government entities have used a troublesome heavier hand with strict curfews, restrictions on access to property, tight definitions of “essential” services, even using police powers. There is talk of tracking people’s movements thru cell phone activity, a state wide curfew, a mask mandate and even more restrictive and onerous government action.  This is troublesome on many levels and clearly an infringement of civil and constitutional rights. When this kind of government action is taken, freedom is in peril.

The Coronavirus situation will likely carry on for longer than originally anticipated. Gray writes:

Recent models suggest stay at home orders may continue  until June. Businesses are struggling and will continue to struggle. How long many of them can stay afloat is the big unknown. The sooner we can come out of the crisis the stronger the recovery will be.

For those reasons, personal responsibility is of the utmost importance right now. Gray explains:

During this COVID-19 crisis, response and recovery, never has personal responsibility been so important. Public health experts from around the world, our country, state and local governments have been consistent in their instructions:  Wash your hands. Disinfect surfaces. Stay home. Keep a safe distance from others. If we do our part, we can come out of this crisis quicker and come back stronger. It all comes down to personal responsibility.

North Carolina’s efforts to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus must also be balanced with the economic realities households face. Gray writes:

We recognize that balance at the John Locke Foundation. That’s why our COVID-19 response policy recommendations encompass private and public solutions and why our recovery policy recommendations will offer a balance between private and public responsibilities.  It will work for COVID-19 recovery, just as it’s always worked.  We’re not only convinced the right balance will work, we’ve made it our mission:

JLF seeks a better balance between the public sector and private institutions of family, faith, community, and enterprise.

Read all of our policy recommendations regarding the Coronavirus here. Follow Becki Gray on Twitter: @BeckiGray.