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SURRY COUNTY, N.C. — Surry County has joined Alamance County as rural communities push to decide when they should reopen their counties. 

On Wednesday morning, Surry County leaders held a special meeting where they outline a resolution letter to Governor Roy Cooper.

“We have got to get rolling whether COVID-19 infects us, or kills us, or not,” County Commissioner Van Tucker said. “If we don’t get the economy open in some fashion, and do it pretty darn quickly, you know what, we will have a lot of suffering and pain outside of COVID-19 just outside of the effects.” 

County leaders stress they want to reopen restaurants, local small retail shops and churches. However, they want to keep strict social distance rules in place for those areas. 

Similar to Alamance County, Surry County leaders stress the critical impact stay-at-home orders have had on local businesses.

“Even in the wintertime, when you lose a snow day it’s hard,” explained Rhonda Collins, the owner of Beary Country. “So, just imagine a whole month.”

Surry County has only experienced 13 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with no deaths. 

County Commissioner Mark Marion said, “the numbers in our county do not reflect having our economy shut down completely. I feel, with precautions and a few restrictions, we can get up and running again.” 

Local business owners in Surry County said they agree with the county leader’s push to be able to decide when the county should reopen.

Debbie Moore, the owner of Farmhouse Spits and Spoons, said, “If you live in a rural county you know what the risk is, as opposed to a big area, where you don’t know.” 

Ralph Smith, of Mayberry Primitives, said he thinks the decision should have always been up to the county. “I think the local people are in a better position than people in Raleigh who are out of touch with us here in Mount Airy.”

On Wednesday Dr. Mandy Cohen, with the NCDHHS, addressed counties that have made these requests. “I want to recognize, I know folks are frustrated. I know that has been so hard in so many ways. We are trying to move through this in the best way possible to protect public health. . . we are in a crisis, I think confusion is really, really damaging during a crisis.”