FORT PIERCE, Fla. — It’s been a week since phase one began on the Treasure Coast.
On Monday, WPTV checked in on businesses and hospitals to get a progress report as Florida looks to recover from the economic crisis.
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Rosslow’s, a women’s clothing store located in downtown Fort Pierce, has been a retail institution for 70 years.
Owner Greg Rosslow said he was pleased with the sales his store did last week.
“We weren’t sure how it was going to go, and I think the impetus of Mother’s Day, and we typically do a reasonably good business on Mother’s Day,” said Rosslow.
Beyond retail, one industry that hopes to see more people is the health care industry. WPTV spoke with hospital leaders who remind everyone that if you don’t feel well, get yourself checked out.
Dr. Michael Bakerman, Chief Medical Officer at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, said Phase One allowed them to restart elective surgical procedures.
“We know patients have a choice and doctors have a choice, so we want them to come to a very safe environment where the patients have the confidence they can get the care they need,” said Bakerman.
“I think patients that were scared to come in previously are starting to come in,” said Dr. Josephin Mathai, the emergency room director at St. Lucie Medical Center.
Mathai said temperature checks are taken outside the hospital, and there is universal mask use inside the hospital.
“Honestly, long-term waiting with symptoms at home, you’re going to have a poorer outcome,” said Mathai.
Doctors said there’s going to be some element of risk until there’s a vaccine, and smart individual choices will go a long way.
“We want them to feel comfortable that they can come in and shop,” said Rosslow. “We don’t expect people to come flooding back right away. We think it will be a process over time.”
It’s a process they hope can keep them in business another seven decades.