Ward 5 Update april 2021. More than 30 million people in the United States have contracted the COVID-19 virus with more than 546,000 losing their lives. Arizona has had more than 838,000 people contract COVID-19 with more than 16,000 people losing their lives. More than 112,000 people, in Pima County, have contracted COVID-19 with more than 2,300 losing their lives. A total of 40% of the deaths in Pima County, from COVID-19 have come from the Latino, Native American or African American Community.
In Tucson and in the 85706, 85713 and 85714 zip codes, there have been close to 20,000 people who have contracted COVID-19. I´ve worked to distribute more than 18,000 masks to the good citizens of Ward 5 and the South side. I´m working with Supervisors Adelita Grijalva, Dr. Matt Heinz, Pima County Health Director, Dr. Theresa Cullen and Assistant County Administrator Dr. Francisco Garcia, to have more vaccination sites in Ward 5 and Southside facilities, churches and schools.
We can work together
First I´ve worked with the Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, and City Manager Michael Ortega, to have the El Pueblo Center, a site for testing and vaccinations, when the vaccines are available from Pima County. Later I´m working with Health 1st Solutions to provide additional COVID-19 testing in Ward 5 and the Southside. The Arizona Governor has issued another Executive Order about masks, social distancing and sanitation in businesses. We had restrictions lifted last year by the Governor, and Arizona and Pima County had a surge in COVID-19 cases, for which restrictions had to be reimplemented, by the Governor.
You can read: Ward 5 Update March 2021
The Arizona Governor has also stated we are still in a public health emergency for which I concur. Please continue to exercise the effective habits we’ve learned during the pandemic, including social distancing, good hygiene and mask wearing when distancing is not possible and stay home if you are sick.
Continuing with preventions
We have all lost family members and loved ones, friends and co-workers to COVID-19 We can’t let our guard and our masks down. We must continue doing what we have been doing, washing our hands, practicing social distancing, not gathering in large numbers and wearing masks as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control until we’ve all been tested and receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
I am continuing my efforts to ensure we have testing and vaccinations on the South side, so that we all can live, work and raise a family. So please, get tested for COVID-19 and get the COVID-19 vaccination because together, we can all make a difference.
