Clovis City Council just showed what true leadership looks like — by wearing face masks

The Clovis City Council just showed some strong leadership.

Did it come as solid financial management? Outstanding community vision? Amazing transparency in decision making?

Actually, something much more basic — choosing life over sickness and death. The council members wore face masks for a photo shoot and Facebook posting to encourage Clovis residents to do the same in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accompanying the photo were well-grounded, common-sense appeals:

“We support local businesses … If putting on a mask … keeps our shops open and people employed — we’ll wear the mask!”

“We care about your health … If putting on a mask in public settings … helps protect our neighbors — we’ll wear the mask!”

“We love Clovis! If putting on a mask means our community can begin ‘getting back to normal’ sooner — we’ll wear the mask!”

Public health experts and numerous studies have said that wearing a face mask is one of the best ways to limit the spread of the highly contagious, airborne COVID-19 virus. Yet Fresno County remains in the grips of a surging curve of infections.

As of late Wednesday, the county had experienced 7,281 cases and 84 deaths. Those numbers have steadily risen over the past month, and for that reason Fresno County is on the state’s watch list of concern.

Fresno City Council members have been wearing masks for months, and even passed a regulation that requires them to wear masks when they enter and walk through City Hall.

Yet it is apparent that mask wearing is not being universally accepted in Fresno County. Go to any public space, and while face masks appear to be more commonplace among residents than a month ago, there are still people either in resist mode or in denial of the dangers of COVID-19.

Leaders in all facets of Fresno County life must decide that this public health threat has to be fully engaged, here and now. They need to push the same message to every household in this county: Wash hands, wear masks, stand 6 feet apart from others in public, and remain at home as much as possible.

Marketing effort

The Clovis council’s social media post is courageous because the members committed themselves to modeling the critical behavior needed right now, despite whatever political fallout results. In a conservative city like Clovis, there could well be some damage control.

Here is calling on every other city council in Fresno County to be brave and do the same. Show your residents what they need to do to give themselves a fighting chance against the virus. Make appeals that make sense, as the Clovis council did.

From Mendota to Parlier, from Huron to Reedley, from Selma to Sanger, city leaders should stand up, wear the mask, and ask their citizens to follow their example.

This can go beyond cities, of course. County supervisors should show they will wear masks.

And young people, who feel invincible in their vigor, need to see local school trustees putting on facial coverings.

Actually, the youth might respond better if Fashawn does a video specific to them.

Leaders in Fresno County’s diverse communities — Black, Latino, Sikh, Hmong — should ensure that the COVID-19 health messaging is reaching those groups. No one can be left without the knowledge on this virus.

Mayor’s example

Fresno’s mayor has a role as well, as the executive of the county’s main city. Mayor Lee Brand and Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer should appear in a photo wearing masks to encourage citizens to don facial coverings.

A recent Valley Voice essay in The Bee told how Japan had made numerous mistakes in its reaction to COVID-19, but one thing it did right was universal acceptance for wearing face masks.

The result? Deaths under 1,000 people, despite being a nation with three times California’s population.

What is it going to take for Fresno County to flatten its curve? It is not complicated: Wash hands. Wear a mask in public. Stay 6 feet from others. And stay at home as much as possible.

What is needed is a sustained, dedicated effort by everyone in the tedious march of personal responsibility. The Clovis City Council is showing its commitment. Fresno County, let’s do this.