Mayor Responds to Plea from EP Pediatric Associates to Shutdown

The City of El Paso admitted earlier today that the huge spike in COVID-19 cases reported on November 4th was actually an error. On Wednesday the city reported 3,100 cases, the highest number we've seen thus far. El Paso Health Director Angela Mora said the error was due to the data being entered automatically instead of manually. Mora stated that the number that should have been reported was 1,537.

1,537 is still a big number. Lately we haven't been able to get out of the thousands. Now, the El Paso Pediatric Associates are asking Mayor Dee Margo to allow a shutdown of the city. In an open letter posted on their Facebook page, the group of doctors are asking the mayor to "implement acutely stronger containment measures, at least for the next two weeks". The associates are in complete favor the current curfew in place that begins at 10 p.m. and ends at 5 a.m. but all agree that more needs to be done- so they are all in favor of the complete shutdown that County Judge Samaniego has tried to enforce. The associates also "recommend the suspension of in-person school instruction to further contain the spread, and that all instruction remain virtual for now".

The discussion of a complete shutdown of non-essential business in El Paso has been controversial. Meanwhile, KTSM reached out to Mayor Margo to get a response to the letter to which he said:

"I would like to reassure the healthcare community, and all El Pasoans, that I remain committed to working with our Public Health Authority to implement COVID-19 protocols which are allowable by the Governor’s order."

As for a complete shutdown, it doesn't look like we'll have an answer on that anytime soon, well so is everyone else. In the meantime, do your part by staying home if you're sick, washing your hands, maintaining a distance and wear a mask.