BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

A resolution requested by Los Alamos County Councilor David Reagor calling on the governor and state health officials to “end school and business lockdown to ensure the social and mental health of the Los Alamos community” is on the agenda for Tuesday’s virtual Council meeting.

The resolution, which would require a majority vote of Council to pass, states that the public health orders currently in place cause significant economic harm to services and industries; lead to social and mental health problems in the community; that public health orders for school closures cause significant harm to low income students with poor internet and have been shown in other states to have little benefit; and vaccinations of high-risk groups are underway around the state and that other groups have little to no risk of a severe case.

Adoption of the resolution would mean that Council:

1. Opposes the continuing public health order for shutdowns of both the schools and local

businesses, since:

a. Persons at risk may stay home while awaiting vaccination;

b. The younger people involved in school have no risk;

c. The younger people involved in the service industries have little risk;

d. Other states and countries without a lockdown have similar results to our state; and

e. It has unintended, negative consequences, such as reduction of critical high-risk services, reduction of resources to educate students, and isolation of persons who need public health services.

2. Urges the Governor, the Legislature, and the Secretary of the Department of Health to:

a. Speed vaccinations of high-risk group;

b. Provide additional funds for mental health services;

c. Modify existing orders and policies to lift restrictions on businesses and to allow schools to open.

“We cannot have a community that is unlivable for people in the service industry,” Councilor Reagor told the Los Alamos Reporter Monday afternoon. “We now have a condition where people who can earn a living in the lockdown maintain an indefinite burden on those who cannot. This is not acceptable or our community and the public should voice their own opinion.”

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