City Council Member Assesses Clovis’ Response to COVID-19

Councilmember Bob Whalen speaking during a previous city council meeting. (Photo by Ron Sundquist)

Businesses in Clovis have begun to reopen, and Clovis City Council member Bob Whalen thought that now would be a good time to assess how well the city has dealt with the effects of COVID-19.

Clovis has had low numbers of COVID-19 cases proportional to its population of over 100,000 compared to its neighbor Fresno and nearby communities.

Of the 92 total cases as of June 8, 47 are currently in recovery, while 45 have either recovered or have deceased. Fresno, the city with the largest number of cases in the county, have 646 that are currently in recovery, while 324 have recovered or have died.

Although unsure why exactly Clovis has had fewer cases on a proportional basis, Whalen speculated that it could be because of the faith that the city has in its citizens to behave safely and in accordance with health guidelines set forth by the county and state.

“The idea of a government that acts as your nanny is a bit repulsive to most of us in Clovis,” Whalen said in an email to the Roundup. We simply provide good information and have confidence in our citizens to make well-informed decisions based on their individual circumstances.”

And those decisions he speaks of extend not just to how well citizens physically distance themselves in closed doors, but also how they have responded while out trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“I have observed quite a bit of outdoor activity incorporating safe physical distancing which has shown to be both mentally and physically helpful as we work to maintain a healthy and vibrant community despite the present circumstances.”

He did note, however, that a spike in the number of cases is expected due to an increase in testing for the virus and that the city council will be open to reigning in restrictions, if necessary.

Overall, Whalen was pleased with how Clovis has handled dealing with unprecedented circumstances.

“So far, based on that standard of proportionality, we are doing very well.”

Michael graduated from Fresno State in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in print journalism. During his time at the university, he served as sports and managing editor for The Collegian, Fresno State’s student-run newspaper. In addition to the Clovis Roundup, Michael has written for The Fresno Bee, the Kingsburg Recorder and Selma Enterprise. He has a passion for sports and can be found on the sidelines at local games, bringing the citizens of Clovis the athletics news they deserve.