Stay Home - April 3, 2020
Apr 3rd, 2020
Good evening,
It is 9 p.m. on Friday, April 3, and I am writing to give you an update on the City of Mobile's efforts regarding COVID-19.
As of tonight, there are 84 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mobile County, and 4 deaths attributed to the virus.
Today we took our boldest step yet in the fight to contain Coronavirus. I signed a Stay at Home order for the City of Mobile. It's not a step we took lightly, but it was necessary due to the rapid spread of this pandemic within our community.
The order includes a curfew, which takes effect at 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, and continues until midnight on April 30. The order applies to all residents of the City of Mobile and the Police Jurisdiction.
Why take this step, and why take in now? Simply put: To fight the virus and protect our citizens. Period. As we've said consistently, your safety is our top priority and the basis for every decision we make.
This virus is here, it is real and it is deadly. It has already taken the lives of four people in Mobile County, and in recent days we have seen an increase in the number of Intensive Care patients due to respiratory issues. This week alone, our Fire-Rescue Department had 39 calls for service for people experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
The bottom line: Stay home, unless you're an employee of one of the essential businesses defined in the order. We've placed a copy of the order on the City's COVID-19 web site, along with a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Those items can be viewed by clicking here. https://www.cityofmobile.org/COVID-19/
We are also introducing an ordinance to the City Council asking them to increase our enforcement powers regarding the Stay at Home order. We hope they will approve this request.
There are no easy decisions in a crisis. We've been working on this order for several days, incorporating lessons learned from other cities and collaborating like never before with our partners in the health care community.
The order was endorsed by the Mobile County Health Department and it was shared today with all of the other municipalities in Mobile County. We also shared it with Governor Ivey so that she could be aware of what we were doing.
Remember that the most effective response to a pandemic like Coronavirus does not come from government, but from personal responsibility.
You can do your part by following the recommended guidelines:
- Wash your hands
- Practice physical distancing
- Stay home
I want to close with a word about a special event in our city. Last Sunday night, we joined people from across Mobile as we got in our cars, drove to one of our four local hospitals and turned on our flashing lights in a visible show of support for our health care workers.
Once there, we tuned to 92.5 FM, listened to inspirational music and prayed for the doctors, nurses and other hospital workers who are risking their own health to take care of us.
A follow-up event has been planned for this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. The City fully supports this event, and we encourage you to join us in participating. Remember to obey the orders on physical distancing and remain in your vehicle. For more information, visit the "Light It Up Mobile" page on Facebook.