By CHRIS COLLINS
FranklinCountyNow.com Staff Writer
(Deerfield, MA) — The biggest question surrounding the COVID 19 pandemic is “when will life return to normal?”
Even though Governor Charlie Baker’s ordered the shutdown of all non-essential businesses is expected to end May 4, Deerfield Selectboard and Board of Health member Carolyn Shores-Ness says a return to normal life will likely take far longer.
“This is a long-term event,” Shores-Ness said. “The 1918 flu pandemic didn’t really end until 1920, and I’d say, realistically, we’re looking at 2022 before we have a true return (to normalcy).”
Shores-Ness said part of the problem is the lack of available COVID 19 testing, and an absence of federal guidelines for communities to respond to the pandemic.
“If we had a better testing system, we could more easily determine who has had the virus and recovered from it, which would allow them to go back into the workforce more quickly,” Shores-Ness said.
“We’re really behind the 8-ball in that sense,” she added.. “And because of it, businesses are not going to be able to bounce back as quickly, so it’s really important that we find ways to protect our local economy and our food chain.”
Toward that end, Shores-Ness said a recent meeting of regional officials revealed that the new federal farm bill requirements do not set a minimum amount of acreage or production level for farms to qualify for assistance, which hasn’t historically been the case.
“That’s really a wonderful thing, and it’s going to make it easier for smaller farmers to remain able to produce crops and items we need here,” Shores-Ness said, adding that any Deerfield farmer interested in learning more about the farm bill program should call the Deerfield Selectboard office for more information at (413) 665-1400.