FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2020
MEDIA CONTACTS
Tanisha Jumper, Media and Communications, tjumper@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5152
Maria Lee, Media and Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054
A Statement From Mayor Victoria Woodards on Tacoma’s First Confirmed COVID-19 Death
TACOMA, Wash. – “We have been notified by Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department that Tacoma has a confirmed loss of life due to COVID-19 – a woman in her 90s – and this loss will be reflected in
the health department’s COVID-19 case count later this afternoon.
As a community, we have collectively suffered a heartbreaking loss, and I hope you will keep this woman and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Together, we mourn with those who mourn across the world because of this deadly virus.
During these challenging and difficult times – as we work with our community partners at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management to address COVID-19 impacts – health and safety continues to be a top priority. We will continue to take every action we can to limit the toll on our families and our community.
While we at the City of Tacoma work to respond, each one of us has a critical responsibility in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and preventing unnecessary deaths in Tacoma and across the nation.
Governor Jay Inslee’s ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order includes vital actions that we all must take to protect one another and preserve public health. I am calling on each and every member of our community to exercise the personal discipline needed, to prevent the heartbreak of unnecessary losses of life and to reduce the demands on our medical system.
In addition, I encourage you to protect and care for yourself and those around you by following the best practices for hygiene and social distancing recommended by Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Please do not underestimate the seriousness of COVID-19. Make your choices today, and each day going forward, with deep personal accountability and compassion for all the neighbors whose lives you may unintentionally impact. Every indication tells us that this will be a long road and that things will get worse before they get better, but we are stronger together. We can each find ways to care for one another in this critical time. We will get through this.”
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