In Chautauqua County, there have been 27 COVID-19 cases. Between 35,000 and 45,000 people are estimated to be out of work.

While the health impact has been low, the virus has exacted quite a toll from Chautauqua County’s residents. With the apex of the virus’ first wave appearing to have passed, attention is turning to two topics: how to prevent a resurgence and how to reopen Chautauqua County’s business to lessen the financial strain that the virus is placing on families and job-providing businesses.

Earlier this week, state Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown, and state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, provided their thoughts on reopening New York state’s economy to state officials. Thursday brought President Donald Trump’s plan for a three-phase gradual reopening of businesses and schools, with each phase lasting at least 14 days, to ensure that the outbreak doesn’t make a resurgence.

The response to both plans has been somewhat predictable — society can’t reopen without testing. And therein lies the rub.

A CNBC report earlier this week indicated that a vaccine for COVID-19 is still at least 18 months away. Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates are that there are 120,000 samples being provided each day, with between 20 to 30 million daily tests needed before the county can fully reopen. Needless to say it’s going to be several additional months until the level of testing that some say is needed will be available.

What happens next, then? Do we live in this new status quo, with one-third of county residents out of work, children struggling to receive the scholastic instruction they deserve and businesses barely scraping by? Do we fully reopen the economy and see more people die or become sick from COVID-19 because no one can afford the status quo?

Many county residents weren’t prospering financially before the COVID-19 pandemic. Without an extension of unemployment benefits and other federal and state programs that have been implemented in the past month, our financial pain will only become more acute. Chautauqua County residents’ have not been deeply affected by COVID-19 — not nearly to the extent of New York City or Buffalo. Yet reopening incorrectly could mean the virus strikes back with a vengeance.

We are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Waiting for full testing to be available doesn’t appear to be an option for many of us. Federal, state and personal bills are piling up. Providers can’t be expected to provide services for another eight months or a year without being compensated. Benefits programs meant to be short-term can’t continue to be offered with no money coming in.

There has been agreement between President Trump and Gov. Cuomo that a phased reopening of business is the best plan. Their biggest disagreement now is when to move forward. The plan advanced by Goodell and Borrello checks many of the boxes to reopen quickly save for one — how does one keep those who travel frequently from areas with higher rates of infection from spreading the virus in Chautauqua County if testing isn’t available?

We should move forward with a phased business opening that aims to keep us safe while allowing some non-essential commerce to continue while testing capacity is built up. Perhaps some non-essential shops, restaurants and gyms can be reopened with capacity limits, use of masks (even though many of us can’t stand wearing them) and enhanced sterilization procedures. While all New York counties have had infections, many have not even had ICU hospitalization cases. What, then, would be considered an acceptable level of infection whereby doctors and hospitals can deal with COVID-19 without the virus overwhelming our health systems?

These are the questions that need to be asked and answered — and soon.