CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY FIFTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. M-22-8 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Tammy Fiebelkorn and Trudy Jones
MEMORIAL
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The City Of Albuquerque City Council Recognizes The Devastating Impacts Of COVID-19 (SARS-CoC-2); Honors The Sacrifices That Essential Workers Have Made To Protect And Save Lives In Their Communities; Declares Support For A Permanent COVID-19 Memorial To Be Located In Bernalillo County On State Trust Lands To Honor The Victims Of COVID-19 (Fiebelkorn, Jones)
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THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS OF COVID-19 (SARS-CoC-2); HONORS THE SACRIFICES THAT ESSENTIAL WORKERS HAVE MADE TO PROTECT AND SAVE LIVES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES; DECLARES SUPPORT FOR A PERMANENT COVID-19 MEMORIAL TO BE LOCATED IN BERNALILLO COUNTY ON STATE TRUST LANDS TO HONOR THE VICTIMS OF COVID-19.
WHEREAS, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is an illness caused by a virus that can transmit from person to person and has spread across the world, creating a global pandemic having catastrophic effects on human life, our community, and our economy; and
WHEREAS, Local and state governments, health departments, Native leadership, and public servants have taken bold actions to protect residents, support struggling local economies, and find innovative ways to provide services; and
WHEREAS, In response to the rapid spread of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders, essential workers have stepped up to provide critical services to help protect our communities and save lives, sacrificing their own health and safety; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on low-income and communities that face systemic racism, exacerbating inequities already prevalent in our systems that we must address as a nation; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the Native American community, with Native Americans losing 6 years of life expectancy, and has caused the incalculable loss of elders who carried with them the communities’ cultures, languages, traditions; and
WHEREAS, Public health guidance and policies targeted at prevention, such as social distancing, wearing masks in public, and staying home help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, prevent illness, and lessen the burden on individuals and society; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 has harmed the health and well-being of children by reducing access to care and health services, disrupting schooling, undermining their sense of safety and security, increasing stress on caregivers, and tragically robbing 250,000 children of a parent or caregiver; and
WHEREAS, The symptoms and severity of COVID-19 can vary dramatically by individual and the long-term health implications for survivors are largely unknown, as many survivors suffer with lingering side-effects of the disease long after they no longer test positive; and
WHEREAS, More than 6.5 million people worldwide and over 1,065,152 people in the United States have lost their lives due to COVID-19, and in New Mexico alone, more than 8,607 lives have been lost to this deadly virus; and
WHEREAS, Each life lost to COVID-19 mattered and leaves a hole in the hearts of loved ones, family members, and the surrounding community.
BE IT MEMORIALIZED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. The City of Albuquerque supports the designation of a permanent COVID-19 Memorial to be located in Bernalillo County on State trust land, for those who lost their lives and in honor of those who are forever marked by COVID-19 and continue to suffer from the impact of the pandemic.
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