National leaders are looking for ways to limit economic damage by the corona virus pandemic.
Local communities are doing the same. Andrew Haan is the president of Kalamazoo's Downtown Partnership. He says it's boosting the value of gift cards for participating merchants in the city's central business district.
"We've already seen about ten percent of them sell, just in the first 14 or 16 hours. It's been well received. Really, it's just kind of the first of some additional interventions that we're looking at."
Haan says he hopes people will still patronize local businesses by shopping online or getting take-out meals. He says that will help limit long-term economic effects of the outbreak. The gift cards are available through the Downtown Partnership's webpage.