BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Quickly after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson purchased the closure of non-essential sellers on Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus, the moms and dad company of Sports Direct wrote to its personnel to let them understand: the next day would be business as typical.
A note on the door of Sports Direct informs clients that the store is temporarily closed, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Britain March 24,2020 REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
Its argument – that selling sport and fitness devices was crucial during a nationwide shutdown – was without delay rebuffed by the federal government, and the plan to keep its shops open was ditched.
The short spat highlights the problem for governments defining what are “important industries” as they try to flatten the curve of infections to conserve lives while keeping their economies from falling off a cliff.
U.S. President Donald Trump came right out on Monday and stated what other governments may be silently believing: “We can not let the treatment be even worse than the problem itself.”
Data on Tuesday showed that organisation activity around the globe has collapsed this month as millions follow orders