Twitter reacts with mixed feelings to reopening plans
“Town Crier” newsletter – Briefs from the Region (1) – 4/24/20
In an April 23 interview with MTN News, Gov. Steve Bullock said decisions pertaining to both Phase 1—with houses of worship reopening as early as April 26 and select retail locations reopening on April 27—and Phase 2 of the state’s reopen plans will rely heavily on data, specifically infection numbers. “Public health will be driving this,” Bullock told MTN News. “For Phase 2, we need to be looking at what is happening with additional COVID-19 positives. Is it around the state? Is it completely regionalized, or in one individual area?” Bars and restaurants around the state will begin to reopen, with mandated social distancing caveats, on May 4, and schools can reopen on May 7, pending local school boards’ decisions to do so. The governor has not given any notice as to when Phase 2—which would raise the recommended maximum size of gatherings from 10 to 50 people, and open gyms, pools and hot tubs—would kickoff. Phase 3 would lift out-of-state travel to Montana quarantine directives and allow visits to senior living facilities. “This is a rapidly, dynamic and changing time, so we have to see what’s happening on the ground in our communities as we talk about what the next steps are and when we might reopen our state entirely for out-of-state tourism,” he said. “At this point, we have to see what happens with Phase 1, to see how our communities react and how COVID-19 reacts.” Data will be supplemented by the state’s ability to effectively administer testing, and Bullock has acknowledged there will likely be an increase in cases following the initiation of Phase 1. Meanwhile, Montanans have taken the discussion to Twitter, where hundreds have expressed mixed feelings. Some select Tweets, below, compiled by the Great Falls Tribune:
I think the Gov has done an outstanding job of handling this crisis so far. I'm confident he is making good decisions based on medical experts and science. #mtpol
— Dan Hall (@dotdash1961) April 23, 2020
Well Montana decided today it's going to reopen… catch me not doing that (but maybe sneaking in to get a tattoo real quick)
— Marky Mark (@funkybunch50) April 22, 2020
How do you keep drunk people staying six feet apart? That's the question @imnoahglick and I were wondering as Montana plans to reopen bars in a couple of weeks…
— Nate Hegyi (@natehegyi) April 22, 2020
I like Gov. Bullock's measured approach to reopen Montana in different phases. MT is the least affected state, but we still need to move carefully. #mtpol
— Kenny Ketner (@lubbockleft) April 22, 2020
Looking at Montana, it's actually not bad. Huge state of course, but they haven't had many positive cases in two weeks. That's a state that could do a staggered reopen and be safe I think. https://t.co/uqWgloLs43
— Dave Zorn (@davezorn72) April 22, 2020
@GovernorBullock Just chose to reopen Montana. With 11,000 of 1.2m people tested. He says Montanans pulled together. No, Montanans pulled apart. Don't clap yourself on the back just yet.
— Elizabeth Batt (@thebattwoman) April 22, 2020