It could be a win-win: easing the burden on hospitals, while getting hotel employees back to work.
Amid mounting fears of the spread of the coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease it causes, local governments should look at quickly redeploying the buildings and people they already have. They just might be able to save money, livelihoods and lives in the process.
But more and should can be done — in Chicago and around the country. Chicago’s central business district has 45,000 hotel rooms. New York City’s has 118,000 hotel rooms. Los Angeles’ has 98,000. Of course, many Americans may resist being placed in isolation at a remote facility outside of their homes. Local governments may want to offer financial incentives, such as covering living expenses or medical costs for patients who lack insurance, to encourage self-isolation.
Physical assets are not the only resources that are currently underutilized — people are too. A major side effect of the current lockdown policies is that a large number of firms in the economy are suffering financially, and they are beginning to lay off workers. Unemployment claims are already spiking. Many of these workers come from the food service and hospitality industries.
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