As Black Friday Approaches, Retailers Lobby States To Stay Open

Retailers forced to close down stores to customers early in the pandemic are now pushing officials to allow them to stay open on Black Friday and into the holiday shopping season, even as coronavirus cases surge across the country. It has been up to city and state officials in the pandemic to define which businesses are “essential” and can remain open during Covid-related shutdowns. Businesses critical to maintaining citizens’ basic needs — health care services, grocery stores, home improvement stores and gas stations, for example — were declared essential early on. But in an effort to slow the spread of the virus, malls, gyms, movie theaters and a host of other noncritical businesses were considered “non-essential” and forced to close. Read more at CNN Business.