FOCUS: Tecklenburg outlines three stages of reopening Charleston

Chalked sign near the intersection of St. Andrew’s Boulevard and Folly Road.

Editor’s Note:  Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg sent the following email Saturday following a Friday press conference to discuss the city’s continued response to COVID-19.

By John Tecklenburg, mayor  |  When the City of Charleston issued the stay-at-home order a few weeks ago, the primary goal was to “flatten the curve” so as to not overwhelm our hospital capacity and to greatly reduce the spread of contagion. I have been encouraged by the most recent numbers, which is a testament to our citizens staying smart, staying distanced and listening to medical experts. The plan to “flatten the curve” has and is continuing to work and we must be vigilant to keep Charleston from becoming a “hotspot”. 

As we continue to flatten the curve, it is time to  ready our strategic reopening to avoid any resurgence or spikes of the virus. I view this challenge in three ways:

• Protecting the lives and wellness of our citizens;
• Keeping our hospitals from being overwhelmed;
• Maintaining economic activity and core government services until a vaccine or treatment becomes available.

Step I:  We are still in the midst of/  We are not out of the woods yet as we will continue to practice steps to stop the spread of the virus.  

Step II: A strategic reopening relies on certain health care conditions being in place and then appropriate actions that we are planning for now:

After a strategic reopening, we can then start Step III of the plan to fully restore our economy with added resilience but we must rely on the advice of our medical experts. To see the full slideshow on the three-step plan for recovery that was discussed this week at city council, click here.

I know this has been an unprecedented and tough time for our community, our state, and our nation, but I also have faith in our resilience.  Working together and keeping Charleston from becoming a “hotspot” will greatly increase our economic recovery. Thanks to everyone for your collaboration!