With the end of stay-home-orders to combat COVID-19 and a loosening of mandated restrictions, Ithaca businesses now face the next hurdle of the pandemic: reopening. The Ithaca Business Index — a database that collects the composite number of jobs in Tompkins County — reflects the initial, dire impact COVID-19 had on Ithaca businesses. In April, the Ithaca Business Index dropped 14.8 percent and jobs plummeted by 9,000, causing the unemployment rate to skyrocket to 14.3 percent. As the Southern Tier Region transitions into phase four of reopening, Ithaca business owners must now strike a balance between economic and public health needs as they reopen their doors. As of last week, Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College and Cornell University have all announced they will reopen their campuses for the fall.

Source: Daily Sun July 08, 2020 04:30 UTC