Good evening,
It is 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1 and I am writing to give you an update on the City of Mobile’s efforts regarding COVID-19.
For the second day in a row, we participated in a lengthy meeting of the Mobile City Council to discuss an ordinance that would require the use of face coverings in the City of Mobile. The ordinance was approved by a 6-1 vote after nearly three hours of debate.
We are working to incorporate some of the amendments made to the ordinance, which will take effect Friday and remain in place for 30 days. We will have more details to share tomorrow, including a list of frequently asked questions.
Basically, the ordinance requires citizens to wear a mask when in public places where social distancing cannot be maintained. There are exceptions for children under the age of 10, for outdoor activities in parks and for people who may experience a physical or mental health risk as a result of wearing a mask.
A copy of the ordinance is available by clicking here. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reply by email and we will do our best to get you a quick response.
The ordinance carries a fine of $50 for a first offense and $100 for each subsequent offense. But our goal is not to write tickets. It’s to educate and encourage the use of masks. So, today I announced that the city is making masks available to any citizen who needs one.
We have 14,000 masks currently available at any of our police precincts or at Mobile Police headquarters on Government Street. We have another 10,000 masks on order and should have those available by the end of this week.
As we’ve all seen, there are too many instances of people disregarding the CDC guidelines, and as a result we are exposing too many of our citizens to the virus. This is the problem we are trying to solve.
I want to thank the City Council for their commitment to the safety of our citizens. This is the fundamental job of government.
Today, we recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19 in Mobile County, pushing our cumulative total to 3,725. We have a total of 299 who have been hospitalized and 136 who have died. There are 2,036 who are presumed recovered.
These are challenging and stressful times for all of us. It is natural for us to worry. But God tells us not to worry, to trust in Him knowing that He is ever present. His angels are there to guard us, and his Holy Spirit is there to guide us.
If you are worried tonight, I encourage you to spend a few minutes in prayer. Take courage that evil is ultimately conquered. We may experience strife and pain, but have faith that our future rewards are great.
Focus on helping those around you who may be vulnerable or in need. By loving our neighbors, we will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever as a community.
Sincerely,
Mayor Sandy Stimpson
