Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Shutdowns stoke debate over what's an 'essential industry'

Shutdowns stoke debate over what's an 'essential industry'

Shortly after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the closure of non-essential retailers on Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus, the parent company of Sports Direct wrote to its staff to let them know: the next day would be business as usual.

Its argument - that selling sport and fitness equipment was vital during a national shutdown - was promptly rebuffed by the government, and the plan to keep its stores open was ditched.

The brief spat underlines the dilemma for governments defining what are “essential industries” as they try to flatten the curve of infections to save lives while keeping their economies from falling off a cliff.

U.S. President Donald Trump came right out on Monday and said what other governments may be quietly thinking: “We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself.”

Data on Tuesday showed that business activity around the globe has collapsed this month as millions obey orders to stay at home to avoid infection with the highly contagious virus.

Trump said he was considering how to reopen the U.S. economy when a 15-day shutdown ends next week, telling a White House news conference that his administration would not allow the crisis to turn into a long-lasting financial problem.

But voicing what many might see as choosing the economy over lives requires delicacy.

Johnson’s senior adviser, Dominic Cummings, on Monday firmly denied a newspaper report that last month he had outlined the government’s coronavirus strategy as “herd immunity, protect the economy and if that means some pensioners die, too bad”.


“EXCESSIVE DISCRETION”

The difficulty for governments lies in deciding what industries are critical.

On Tuesday, just 12 hours after Johnson had ordered a draconian clampdown, minister Michael Gove was asked on a TV breakfast show why groups of workers were still being allowed at construction sites.

Italy, which has suffered the deadliest coronavirus outbreak, decreed on Sunday that non-essential businesses must close until April 3 -but set out a long list of exceptions deemed vital to keep supply chains running in Europe’s second-largest manufacturing economy.

Unions in the worst-hit Lombardy region panned the list as “excessively extended, covering areas of dubious importance” and allowing firms “excessive discretion” to apply for exemptions, and promptly called a one-day strike.

Amazon announced at the weekend it would stop shipping non-essential products to Italy and hard-hit France, where lockdowns have been imposed.

One worker at a French distribution centre for the world’s largest online retailer said last week that employees were dispatching non-essential items from small workspaces that did not allow staff to keep their distances.

“These are DVDs, video games, iPads, phones and sex toys,” said the worker, who declined to give her name for fear of losing her job.

Amazon stopped shipments of non-essential items due to a spike in orders and the need to respect anti-coronavirus safety measures in workplaces, a spokesman said.

As more U.S. states moved to impose stay-at-home orders on Tuesday, industries from steelmakers to auto dealerships scrambled for exemptions that would allow them to remain open.

The National Association of Manufacturers has urged states to declare all manufacturing facilities and supply chains part of “essential infrastructure” and “essential businesses”.

“Cash flow and survival are the key words here,” said Gary Hufbauer at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “As the shutdown continues, more and more firms will seek to be designated essential.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×