Special Board of Aldermen 12-21-2020 Page 16
spoke previously. | think it’s important to know that before | speak. | wanted to address unintended
consequences and two factors which | think are important to take into account when deciding whether to
pursue a curfew or not.
The first is my interpretation of what might occur when we drive patrons of these businesses that would
be affected to outlying or neighboring communities. Of course we do not have a statewide curfew, we
are talking about a Nashua specific curfew which means that we could very easily be driving patrons to
places like Manchester, which are also COVID hot spots with much, much looser ordinances as it
relates to the wearing of masks and social distancing. My best guess is that there is a good chance that
we might actually be importing more COVID-19 into our community as a result of that than we actually
might be deterring as a result of the ordinance, | would expect that you would take that into account in
your thinking.
The other factor which | would like you to consider are the social determinants of health. Maryse
addressed the potential for an uptick in people seeking or needing assistance, Welfare assistance.
We’ve heard from any number of people who have said point blank that they are at risk of losing their
jobs, of course, the stress that goes along with that and the need to take advantage of the Welfare
System as a result could very well affect people’s behavioral health which in turn can affect their
physical health. And | know that our Board of Health is well aware of the social determinates that go
along with health consequences.
So | would like for you to take those two factors into account when you decide on this Ordinance moving
forward. Thank you very much. Have a good evening.
President Wilshire
Thank you. Next | have Ray Ealy?
Ray Ealy Thank you for hearing me. | am in favor of this ordinance but let me say | don’t want anybody
to lose their job. That’s not what this is about. This is about that there is a virus out there that is
infecting more and more people. And the virus is very simple, if you can get people to stay apart, and
protect themselves, there will be fewer people that get infected. And the thing about thinking about our
jobs today is short term, but the numbers are growing and this thing is getting worse. And at some
point, it is going to come on us anyway. So we are short-term — and | understand everybody wants to
keep their job, believe me, | get that.
But what the Government has to think about is it a good idea to have people out there working so they
can make a living when they are actually spreading the virus more. Because that’s what we are really
doing when we are coming together and we are insisting that we stay together, we are spreading the
virus more. And either you are helping the virus or you are not helping the virus. And right now
insisting that we change nothing is helping the virus and | think we may regret that one day, because the
numbers are rising. The hospitals are filling up and at some point we are going to be under something
anyway. So | just don’t want that to happen and | don’t know if people are hearing, but they got a new
version of it out in England and it’s 70% more contagious and we got to deal with that coming too. So
it’s just — | get it about the jobs, maybe we can find a way around that, but the bottom line is this thing is
coming and in doesn’t care about the Holidays, it doesn’t care about any of that. I’m done, thank you for
hearing me.
President Wilshire
Thank you, next | have Michael Buckley.
