Dear Moreno Valley Residents,
“The economy will recover, but the dead cannot.” So said a New York City doctor recently when asked what she thinks of some people’s call to “restart the economy” soon by ending the stay-at-home orders and sending people back to work and school.
We’ve been staying home now for close to a month, and each of us is eager for things to get back to normal. But as I write, today’s rate of hospitalizations for Covid-19 in California rose another 3.9 percent over yesterday’s. This fight is far from over, and it would be nothing short of tragic to just give up and declare victory too soon.
As Mayor, I am well aware of the damage being done to our economy and people’s livelihoods. And I have been regularly contacting our state lawmakers and California’s congressional delegation, lobbying hard for more direct financial help for residents, businesses and local government so we can weather this storm and be ready to jumpstart the economy when it’s safe to do so – but not before it’s safe to do so.
The pain we’re going through economically cannot compare with the pain being experienced by all those who’ve lost a loved one to Covid-19. So please, please continue to do what we know is working: Stay home, keep a 6-foot distance, wash your hands regularly and thoroughly and wear a face covering when you absolutely have to leave home.
Our immediate mission is to save lives, because the economy will recover, but the dead cannot.