Mayor’s message: We are strong. We are resilient. We are compassionate. We are SLO

As the mayor of San Luis Obispo, I am reminded daily of the social and economic impacts imposed by COVID-19 on our community. I also am reminded how our residents, local businesses and community organizations have made significant personal and economic sacrifices to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and for that, I am truly thankful.

I also want to recognize and thank our first responders who continue to care and treat our community members. Our immediate response, call to action and ability to adjust to this new reality is a testament to the spirit of why San Luis Obispo has always been and will continue to be an incredibly special community.

I want to assure you that your city and county leaders have been doing everything possible to protect the health and safety of our community. We have been monitoring this issue as it has progressed and as new information has become available, we have taken the necessary actions to slow the spread of the virus. The truth is, this has been the most difficult challenge our community has ever faced but we must work together to slow the spread, flatten the curve and put into place a plan of recovery and resiliency.

There is still a lot of work to be done and we do not know when the shelter at home order will be lifted. We must continue to follow the guidance of our public health professionals, including physical distancing, frequent hand washing and wearing face coverings when appropriate. And just as important, we must continue to stay connected with our friends, families, co-workers and neighbors. The best we can do is to prepare for a long enough shelter at home period to minimize the spread; implement measures to minimize a second wave; and develop and implement a plan to reduce the impacts on our community.

If we are too hasty and not intentional in our eventual return to normal, our collective efforts may turn out to be partially in vain. Making sure we have a good handle on the virus will give the public health community the time needed to further establish effective and comprehensive testing and surveillance.

If needed, additional isolation and quarantine measures may be required if a surge of new cases emerges. The overall approach should be to test, trace and treat. These collective actions will decrease the likelihood of a second wave occurring or reduce the impact a second wave will have on our community.

The other part of this pandemic is the grievous damage done to our economy. Local businesses are the backbone of our economy and many are being challenged by the fact that the economy has essentially closed. The reality is that millions of Americans and hundreds locally either lost their jobs or were furloughed. Many were living paycheck to paycheck and do not have a financial safety net. They need our help now more than ever and I encourage you to give in any way you can to support organizations that are helping our community make it through these challenging times.

San Luis Obispo is known for being compassionate, resilient and strong. I urge you to maintain a sense of realism and optimism as we work together to minimize the spread, flatten the curve and work toward an economic recovery that benefits families, businesses and community organizations.

Please know the city of San Luis Obispo is working in cooperation with our regional agencies. When the time is right and we are ready to reopen our community in phases in a thoughtful way, we will be there to support and nurture San Luis Obispo as it moves forward.

This is our home; this is our family and we will get through this together.