Thanks to a surprising bit of good fortune with COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Buffalo area and the identification of just enough contact tracers, Western New York is finally able to reopen today.

For now, construction, wholesale trade and manufacturing can begin opening back up with appropriate safeguards, while retail can reopen for curbside or in-store pickup or drop offs. The next phase will be professional services, retail stores, administrative support, real estate, rental and leasing companies. The third phase includes restaurants and food services, with the fourth phase including arts, entertainment, recreation and education.

We all want to see our favorite barber shops, restaurants and stores open back up. For that to happen, we must not mismanage the first step of reopening.

It is still important for all of us to do our part to make sure there isn’t a spike in cases. Not only is COVID-19 something you don’t want to have and don’t want to spread to loved ones, a spike in cases will mean our slowly reopening economy will close down again.

Nobody wants that.

What’s more, businesses should see the light at the end of the tunnel and follow the advice given by Todd Tranum, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer and executive director of the Manufacturer’s Association of the Southern Tier, by making their own plans that take employees, customers, products and services into account; read through the best practices and guidelines at www.chautauquachamber.org/restarting-our-economy and on the state website to familiarize themselves with what will be required; consider supplies that may be needed in order to safely reopen such as personal protective equipment, changes in a business’ physical layout, etc.

It’s been a long two months. Now that the governor has lifted the region’s NY Pause order, let’s be ready to hit the ground running.