Photos: In Rural Towns and on Remote Farms, the Virus Creeps In

“I’m going to apply for the relief money that’s coming available, but I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” Mr. Hennes, 40, said. He has deferred as many payments as possible — mortgage, credit cards — but a long shutdown would be disastrous. “Our season is three months long,” picking up in mid-June, he said, “and if we miss the season, then we’re kaput.”

In Joseph, most businesses, except the hardware store and takeout restaurants, are closed. “It does feel kind of like a ghost town,” he said.

In the meantime, he’s been spending his days taking hikes. “Unlike in a lot of places near urban areas, I’m not worried about the trailhead being overrun,” he said. “It’s very easy to keep six feet, if not three miles, between me and the next person.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/04/business/coronavirus-rural-america-oregon.html