For how long?
That is the top question my office has received after I issued emergency regulations that limited community gatherings and service in restaurants and temporarily shut down bars, gyms, theaters, nightclubs, entertainment venues and other types of businesses.
What I say in response is that these steps were necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of our people. But, of course, Dallas residents, businesses and workers alike are wondering when this will all be over.
Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer yet.
I wish I did. We have been thrust into an uncomfortable reality of uncertainty. We would all like to go back to where we were just a few weeks ago: planning travel with loved ones, looking forward to a wedding or a Mavericks game or a concert, going on a date at a favorite restaurant, crowding into a theater to watch a play or even, for many, going into the office for a day’s work.
But the COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly. Just about one week ago, we took what was then a major step: canceling the St. Patrick’s Day parade and block party. The next night, after we had our first real evidence of community spread in the city, I signed a proclamation declaring that Dallas was in a state of disaster.
We have continued to take swift and aggressive actions in the days since, and I have to consider every day what else can be done to help stop the spread of this virus.
The Dallas City Council this evening extended the disaster declaration through April 29, with the expectation we will revisit it as necessary. It could be extended beyond that time. We simply don’t know at this stage.
Some of the measures we have taken — and actions we still may have to take — to stop COVID-19 may have seemed unimaginable a few months ago. The decisions I have made weighed heavily on me because of their economic implications.
But life is priceless, and we must do what we can to protect it. That means we have to pay a price; many livelihoods will be temporarily affected.
Be prepared, but do not be disheartened. Dallas is strong. We are bigger than this microscopic enemy. We will bounce back. We have a robust and diverse economy that has grown in recent years. We have world-class event venues, theaters and entertainment options. We have strong communities.
This coronavirus will slow our city down, but it will not stop its undeniable progress.
Your city government is working hard to flatten the curve of this global pandemic and protect lives, especially those of our most vulnerable populations. We are in constant communication with Dallas County, our local public health authority and the leaders of our city’s health care community. We are talking to business groups and engaging those who want to help us. We are doing what we can.
You can take individual responsibility, too, by practicing good hygiene and social distancing, washing your hands regularly with soap for 20 seconds, covering your sneezes and coughs, and staying at home when sick or getting appropriate medical care.
Most cases of COVID-19 are mild, but the life you save by taking precautions could be that of a loved one.
You can also pitch in by helping your neighbors. If you know someone who is part of a vulnerable population, find ways to help them — and to minimize their exposure to others.
This is the time to be patient, be responsible, be generous and be good to one another. This city, which I have called home for my entire life, does not bow to fear. This is a city that, when faced with a challenge, comes together and shows the world we have the compassion, the resolve, the grit and the grace to get through difficult times.
And just because we are social distancing does not mean we should disengage from life and society. In the weeks ahead, you may even find or rediscover simple pleasures.
I did. On Saturday, the day after we issued our first set of emergency regulations, my 5-year-old son William told me that all I do is work, including during weekends. He issued an emergency order of his own — for me to put down my phone for a bit and play Legos with him.
For about an hour, I did. And I hadn’t seen him have that much fun since I decided to run for mayor. I loved every precious minute of it.
Life will move on in this great city. Tough times are temporarily ahead, and you will see pain — there is no doubt about that. But amid all the uncertainty, you could also see and experience the joy and beauty of humanity. Without a definitive timeline, that is the answer to enduring the temporary difficulties before us.
Eric Johnson is the mayor of Dallas.