To our beloved and resilient community:
A year has passed since the pandemic changed the course of life as we knew it in Davis. It has been both a shared and very individual experience for everyone across our community. And as we eagerly look ahead to resuming regular activities, it is important that we acknowledge and give ourselves permission to mourn all that has been lost. The birthdays and holiday celebrations, life events from graduations to weddings and funerals. The hand we couldn’t hold and the hugs we couldn’t share. And, most importantly, the loss of friends, family, and community members to whom we did not get to give a proper goodbye.
We have been fortunate as a community. From the early days, we did what we do best and adopted a “we’re in it together” mantra that has held steady throughout the course of this pandemic. We have rallied around our local businesses, found ways to keep up with family and friends from a distance, and prioritized the collective health of our community. As a result, we have been able to keep our COVID-19 numbers low.
We feel a sense of relief – and hope – when loved ones are vaccinated. And there is much to look forward to as we head into spring and more will have their turn. The supply of vaccines looks promising, and we are off to a strong start vaccinating our healthcare workers, seniors, first responders, and now educators and childcare workers. And we encourage you to get vaccinated when it’s available to you.
We have a vital ask: please keep doing what you’re doing to hold COVID-19 at bay. It’s important that we continue to wear face coverings, stay six feet apart from others, wash our hands, and yes, continue to get tested regularly for COVID-19 even after getting the vaccine. It will be hard to resist jumping back into life, especially as more of us are vaccinated, but we need to hang in there a little longer until we all can safely enjoy being together again.
As a reminder, you can learn when you are eligible for a vaccine at CovidTesting.YoloCounty.org. To make your appointment for free COVID-19 tests, visit www.HealthyDavisTogether.org/testing.
Thank you for doing your part to keep Davis healthy.
Mayor Gloria Partida and UC Davis Chancellor Gary May
