Getting back to normal? Or a new normal? Fortunately, both Florida and Arizona are rebounding from the pandemic with economies relatively intact. According to a CNNMoody’s Analytics “Back to Normal” economic survey, Arizona has returned to 97 per cent of its pre-COVID economic productivity; Florida is at 96 per cent. According to Retirement Living (a national publication that annually ranks “Best States for Retirement,” Florida retained its #1 position, while Arizona vaulted to #3 from #9 the previous year. The rankings are based on: Percentage of population over 65; cost of living; home prices/rents; low taxes; favorable political climate; access to health care; available parklands and activities − i.e., “ability to golf 365 days a year.” In addition, recent U.S. census figures show that of the top 12 fastest-growing cities of 50,000 people or more nationally, eight are in either Arizona or Florida. Florida is also now the thirdmost-populous state in the nation (22 million), after only California and Texas. It has eclipsed New York state which, according to census figures, is losing population (much of it, ironically, to Florida). According to the Public Policy Institute of California, that state (which has the highest overall tax rates in the country) has been losing residents to other states every year since 2001; again, Florida and Arizona are the chief beneficiaries. The value of resistance Both Florida and Arizona resisted the draconian economic shutdowns imposed in California and New York, yet the relative numbers of COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations were virtually the same − no better, no worse. All the while, residents of Florida and Arizona retained their personal freedoms, their judgements about when and where to use masks, to communicate and engage with friends and families, to visit with the elderly or infirm and to allow common sense to inhabit their lives. It’s an approach that has since been validated by the World Health Organization (which initially strongly advocated strict lockdown procedures), as well as the World Tourism and Travel Council. In explaining theWHO reversal, Special Envoy on COVID-19 Dr. David Nabarro emphasized: “We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus. The only time we believe a lockdown is justified is to buy you time to reorganize, regroup, rebalance your resources and protect your health workers who are exhausted but, by and large, we’d rather not do it.” In addition, scientists from Johns Hopkins University, in reporting on a landmark literature and meta- analysis of the effects of worldwide 30 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
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