By Coral Springs Mayor, Scott Brook
COVID-19 is a threat to our community and our lives. Gratefully, we live in a terrific City with great personnel, leaders and citizens. While you may be reading this after much has changed since it was written, it is important for all us to keep updated on facts, take all necessary precautions and continue to support one another as this community has done in tough times before.
We recently canceled our March 18 Commission Meeting after speaking with Management and our Medical Director in an abundance of caution. If we saved even one person from a serious illness, it will have been worth it. We are urging you to engage in similar changes of plans in an abundance of caution to prevent further spreading of this disease. I recently attended a virtual seminar with over 100 other Mayors led by Bloomberg/Harvard in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University and three things stood out.
One, it is essential that we remain hopeful about the temporary nature of this pandemic while being agile and responsive to the new information that comes out daily. Secondly, the leaders urged all of us to implore our citizens that had sick people at home to also isolate if that is possible. Lastly, it is important to have numerical context and share with you numbers on a regular basis. If you consider the large population of China (1 Billion, 400 Million people) and the number of unfortunate fatalities, that is one specific context to ponder. There are those that say that China was much more aggressive in their containment than Italy and we might expect worse outcomes. The truth is there is so much unknown about the virus, that is best to take conservative measures to protect ourselves and those around us. Here are some of the steps we have taken and resources we are happy to share:
• All emergency orders can be viewed on the following link: www.coralsprings.org/government/other-departments-and-services/emergency-management/coronavirus-disease/emergency-orders.
• We must do all we can to ensure the most at risk are not only being well-cared for, but those charged with their care are taking the necessary steps to keep themselves safe.
• Please check out www.coralsprings/coronavirus for daily updates on closures, rules, recommendations and resources.
• We are adjusting the way we deliver services, including in-person services, like at the One-Stop-Shop, indoor inspections, etc.
• This does not mean we are ceasing operations; to the contrary, we are working differently and remotely.
• I strongly encourage you to support local businesses. Order take out or pick up food from local restaurants, and please try to avoid indoor dining.
• If you questions about the virus, call the Hotline at 866-799-6121.
Our City has the best First Responders in the Region and our employees are dedicated to you and your families. Your Commission is committed to protect you and do whatever it takes to collaborate with state and federal agencies to move our community to the other side of this temporary crisis. If you need me, call me at 954-494-9872. I want to thank everyone at our Government for giving us their all!