But this year the river won’t be green. Parades and public celebrations have been cancelled in Chicago and other cities across the US, and in Ireland, as part of the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The Irish government has cancelled all public events, closed the pubs, and asked people not to hold or participate in private house parties. Irish citizens and communities are being encouraged to celebrate on social media by posting images of how they’re celebrating the national holiday.
In the US, where pubs and bars depend on St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness for a big part of their annual revenue, and where consumers had been expected to spend close to $6 billion this year on celebrations, according to a February survey by the National Retail Federation, the day is marked by closures, staff layoffs and empty grocery store shelves.
On St. Patrick’s Day – every day — logistics and supply chain personnel, like the employees across all of CJ Logistics America’s warehouse facilities and in its Transportation Management Center, are continuing to play an important role in supporting emergency relief efforts for the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as they work to enable replenishment of empty shelves so that anxious consumers can purchase necessities.
The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a national emergency declaration on March 13 to help expedite emergency relief for many of the types of products and supply chains CJ Logistics America manages. These include medical supplies, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants, paper goods, food for emergency restocking of stores, and supplies needed for temporary housing and quarantine facilities.
“We are grateful for the contribution our employees are making,” CEO Ed Bowersox said. “The work being done by all of our teams is making a difference for citizens, patients and caregivers across the US, as well as for customers’ supply chains.”
