A Message from Mayor Stimpson - March 25
Mar 25th, 2020
Posted in: COVID-19
Good evening,
It is 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, and I am writing to give you an update on the City of Mobile's efforts regarding COVID-19.
My Administration is fully focused on dealing with this pandemic. Our top priority is to minimize the impact of this threat to our community.
Tonight I am pleased to report a major advance: We secured 2,000 new test kits from a private lab that can be used to test people in Mobile.
We are working with our local hospitals to determine the best way to utilize this particular type of test, which detects the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in a blood sample.
More tests are on the way, and I am convinced that we are turning the tide in the fight to obtain test kits for the City of Mobile.
Our hospitals will play a crucial role in the days ahead, as more tests are completed and more people seek treatment for COVID-19. We are doing all in our power to support them and to make sure that they have all the resources they need.
You will recall that the City, in coordination with the hospitals, established sites for drive-through testing at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and The Grounds in Mobile.
In talking with leadership from Infirmary Health, they have indicated it may be more effective to establish drive-through testing at their diagnostic clinics, which are located at 1700 Springhill Avenue and 831 Hillcrest Road (near the intersection with Airport Boulevard).
We will work with the Infirmary to provide everything they need to conduct the tests at those locations, which are preferable because they have doctors, nurses and equipment on site. We are having similar conversations with USA Health to determine their preference.
The bottom line is that we are listening closely to our health care experts and doing all we can to support them.
A few more things we did today:
- We participated in a joint news conference with leaders from the Mobile County Health Department. We appreciate the important role they play in protecting public health, and we have a shared goal in working together to stop the spread of COVID-19.
- We removed the basketball rims from all of the courts in our city parks. This was unfortunate but necessary due to the number of people who were continuing to congregate on the courts, in violation of local and state emergency orders about social distancing.
- We began assessing the federal relief package approved by the U.S. Senate, to determine what it means for the City, our business community and our citizens. We will stay engaged to make sure Mobile gets its fair share.
Tomorrow I will conduct a "virtual" meeting with representatives from our non-profit community, to make sure we are providing resources to our citizens who need them the most.
I will participate in a Coronavirus video conference with mayor from across America, along with top experts from the Johns Hopkins School of Health, Harvard University and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
I also will join the mayors from the 10 largest cities in Alabama on a conference call with Governor Ivey, Speaker Mac McCutcheon and Senate President Del Marsh to discuss the state's response to COVID-19.
Thank you as always for your prayers and words of support. We are better today than we were yesterday, and we will get better again tomorrow. I promise to keep working, keep listening and do all in my power to keep you safe.
Sincerely,
Mayor Sandy Stimpson