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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor 

This is a scary and uncertain time for businesses both local and across the globe. With the presence of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) throughout the world, many businesses are having to shut their doors and even lay people off because of the revenue that is being lost.

With restaurants ordered to close dining rooms and only do to-go and curbside service, bars and breweries ordered to not serve in their venues, people forced to their homes, which keeps them from going out and shopping at local stores, and other issues, several businesses are taking major hits throughout Shelby County in the first week the virus has been present in the state.

In the newspaper business, we are losing advertising left and right because events being put on by local businesses or venues are being canceled and because of the affordability of paying for ads in a time where finding revenue is tough.

It makes us all nervous. No matter what field we work in right now, this virus is having a trickle-down effect on everything that this country runs on.

But most places are finding ways to still reach as many residents of the county as they possibly can, while many of the residents are going out of their way to support some of the businesses in their city and the county.

Restaurants around the county are offering curbside pick-up for to-go orders and many residents have said they plan to support that service as much as possible because they know local businesses have bills to pay as well.

One resident even said she was planning to cook at home more often, and the cash she would have spent out on dining, she is going to share with a few people she knows that work in restaurants and rely heavily on tips.

Others are working to buy gift card from local stores or buy online.

Businesses themselves are also stepping up in the community to offer free meals to students who are out of school and rely on school lunches to be fed.

So while they are giving back and doing everything they can to help us in a time of uncertainty, those who can should help give back to them when possible.

Whether you go out of your way to help employees or just go pick up food from a restaurant in the county, try to find a way to help where you can.

There are many of businesses who may not survive this because of the revenue that could be lost over the next couple of months while COVID-19 dies down and residents feel comfortable going out again.With this entire county being like one big community, let’s do the best we can to keep as many alive and well as we possibly can.