Allow bookshops to re-open

In Italy, bookshops were among the first type of shops to be allowed to re-open - to my mind, that's a sign of a civilised society; we need to feed the mind as well as the body, and I think it would be a very positive step if Scotland could emulate Italy in this respect. I'm referring both to shops selling new books and to second-hand bookshops.

It goes without saying that the usual social distancing measures would need to be in place, as in other shops.
Moreover, given the tendency to browse in bookshops, and to leaf through books without necessarily buying them, there could be a risk of infection. Therefore, in order to pre-empt such objections, I'd suggest that buyers of books should be strongly encouraged to put their purchases aside for 3 days before reading, given that the research suggests that the virus doesn't survive longer than 3 days outside the body; probably less on paper surfaces.

Why the contribution is important

As above; I consider books to be a necessity of life, and I imagine many would agree. My own interest is as a reader (or consumer, though I don't like the term), but I'm also concerned about the survival of bookshops - particularly small independent booksellers, who should be encouraged to thrive.

by CathyBenson on May 11, 2020 at 12:28PM

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