Mayor Lucy Vinis lays out plans after declaring state of emergency
Lane County has entered a state of emergency as of March 17. As a result, the city of Eugene has partnered with Lane County Public Health and Oregon Health Authority to combat the emergency.
According to the city of Eugene’s official website, the two agencies will guide the Eugene City Council throughout this pandemic. The website states that “the City is taking action to slow the spread of COVID-19 and amplify the messages, recommendations and preventative measures of the lead agencies.”
The vote was unanimous to move the city into a state of emergency. The declaration gives the city council the ability to call upon partnerships with businesses to alleviate the situation while also allowing the sharing of supplies, equipment, personnel and information across political boundaries more fluidly.
In Mayor Lucy Vinis’ video, she mentions broadening a program called Dusk to Dawn — typically reserved to help the homeless survive frigid winters.
Dusk to Dawn is a partner program with St. Vincent de Paul which offers a place to sleep for the homeless community. They will be expanding the program, updating the name toDawn to Dawn to reflect the expansion. They also will allow the storage of personal belongings over designated times. For up to date information on hours and locations visit the official website.
Among alternative shelter options, the city of Eugene is placing hand-washing stations throughout downtown and other areas with high foot traffic.
All these efforts are to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The City Council of Eugene says you can do their part in stopping the spread of the virus by washing your hands, covering coughs, and following the rules of social distancing.
