JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced Wednesday that he is continuing to encourage the public to wear masks as the city continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
"I know that many of us are getting COVID fatigue... but the more we practice them as a community, the sooner this virus will leave us," he said during an afternoon news conference.
Right before the news conference, the City of Jacksonville posted a Facebook video showing their teaming up with local area hospital leaders in reminding the public "the importance of wearing a mask." These hospitals include UF Health, Ascension St. Vincent's, Baptist Health, Memorial Hospital, Brooks Rehabilitation, the Mayo Clinic and NAS Jacksonville.
During the news conference, Curry also announced that he is wanting to continue in his commitment to investing in the city's children and neighborhoods, especially areas that are traditionally known to have high crime rates.
One way he hopes to do so is by providing additional funding to youth programs, including Cure Violence.
"The upside of Cure Violence, if you will, is that this is not a policing effort," Curry said. "They are individuals out in the community working to simply disrupt... an act of violence."
Currently, there are two Cure Violence groups: Bridges to a Cure in Northwest Jacksonville and the Noah's Ark Project on the city's Eastside. These areas have high violent crime rates, but both groups are making a difference, he said.
Curry hopes to additional funding will help add a third location. That location hasn't been announced.