Coronavirus: Austin Mayor, Mascot Say 'We Got This'

AUSTIN, TX — Yeah, self-isolation in these uncertain times is, to say the least, a bummer. But your favorite mascots are here to say "We Got This," and will get through it together.

Austin Community College officials on Sunday released a video showing the school's mascot, R.B. the Riverbat, initially looking forlorn while stuck at home, only to be buoyed by his colleagues.

And by colleagues, we mean some of his buddies and fellow mascots elsewhere — including Ringo from the Texas Stars, Scrappy the Owl from Kennesaw State University, Montclair State University's Rocky the Red Hawk and Montana University's Monte Bear.

It's an entertainment video message (I mean, who doesn't love mascots?) yet suffused with an important message about the effectiveness of self-isolation to blunt the spread of respiratory illness. Given the lack of a vaccine for the illness, self-isolation is seen as an effective way to mitigate the spread of disease — along with the wearing of protective fabric facial coverings when out on essential outings.

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Another key step in fighting the scourge of illness is thoroughly washing one's hands. Which brings to mind how mascots wash their own paws to ensure hygiene, but this may be a subject for another day.

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Guidance to ensure the thoroughness of this measure is to sing (either aloud or to yourself, your choice) the "happy birthday" song twice as you clean. Or you can do like Round Rock officials suggest: "Wash your hands like you just got done slicing jalapeños for a batch of nachos and you need to take your contacts out."

Those who have ever touched their eyes after handling jalapeños are painfully aware of the aftemath. The Austin Patch will neither confirm nor deny this has ever personally happened, only to correct that it may (or may not) have involved a bottle of extremely hot sauce rather than jalapeños that had been eagerly sought for sampling prior to the incident that, again, may or may not have happened once about 12 years ago while house-sitting for a friend in Philadelphia.

From his own bunker-like surroundings, Austin Mayor Steve Adler suggested on Sunday in his now-regular weekend dispatches that the tactics of self-isolation appear to be working. "I know as time passes and the weather gets nicer, it’s hard to keep staying home, keep our faces covered, and slow the spread," the mayor said, inadvertently pouring salt in the collective wound but with good intentions on a day when the temperature on Sunday afternoon reached 86 degrees under glorious spring-like conditions. "We’re doing so well and our community needs you to keep it up!"

This week in particular has been one for celebration, the mayor adds: "To our Muslim neighbors observing Ramadan and all Austinites practicing their faiths from home, I hope you can find space for reflection and community. Our community also celebrated Earth Day this week, and even in a pandemic I have seen so much joy among our Austinites as we adjust to this time. Every kind deed, virtual read along, and uplifting message is so valued, and we thank everyone for finding ways to continue uplifting others."

Yet the mayor's words of encouragement were tempered with the ongoing reality as state officials move to gradually reopen the economy: "This week there have been a lot of conversations about allowing greater economic activity and increasing physical interactions. Both of which will inevitably lead to greater infections which can be mitigated by our behaviors, increased testing and enhanced contact tracing."

In light of this, the mayor urged continued precautions be practiced: "We would need to do a better job of cocooning our nursing home residents and others especially vulnerable to the virus. Our Governor has said that on Monday, he will be announcing his future plans. He has also said he will prioritize public health and be guided by science and the doctors. So will I. We will hold the governor to his promise."

In the next paragraph of his community message, the mayor offers a glimmer of hope in terms of the self-isolation duration:

"I do not believe our community can stay locked down for a year or more while we wait for a vaccine. We also cannot undo the great work this community has done to lower the curve and give us time to better test, trace, isolate and build supplies and resources. Know that the virus is no less infectious than it was a month ago. What’s different is now we’re more prepared than we were then and that gives us more options. The path we take will be informed by the experts, doctors and modelers. I will be open and transparent about the advice we’re given and we will have honest community conversations about what we should do. We have all been in this together for the last six weeks and we will be in this together for too long a time to come. We will do this virus recovery well because we will do it together, too."

Another encouraging development amid coronavirus is that Austin Public Health now is offering free testing for residents, the mayor pointed out. Residents now can complete an assessment online, with or without a doctor, to see if they're eligible for free testing.

Adler noted the city continues to offer support to people and businesses who have been economically affected by the health crisis. Both the RISE Fund, assisting individuals, and the Bridge Loan Program, assisting businesses, were made available this week, the mayor noted.

The mayor also has joined Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt in reaching out to the Austin Chamber for recommendations and supported their creation of a Task Force to address ways businesses might adapt to a new virus environment.

Learn more about the Task Force here. To stay informed on COVID-19, visit http://www.austintexas.gov/COVID19. Residents also can call Austin 3-1-1, (512) 974-2000, for questions not answered on the website.

In ending his missive to residents, the mayor offered his top links showcasing Austinites supporting one another, and other happenings that made him smile in the past week.

• This photographer documenting life at a safe physical distance.
• Ruckify partnering with Austin Free-Net to get the 15,000 computers still needed for Austin ISD students. "Donate your electronics here!" the mayor urged.
• Austin Tech Alliance's Lend A Hand ATX! Register to receive help from some of Austin's best tech workers or sign up to volunteer!
• Good Apple, a company started by Dell Medical School students, donated over 100,000 lbs of food!

For good measure, Mayor Adler offered a list of programs his office is looking forward to over the weekend and into next week (the liberal use of exclamation points, albeit warranted, are his):

• Waterloo Greenway's free online experiences including online tours, art classes. Including the City Nature Challenge this weekend!
• Contamos Austin and Peligrosa Censo's DJ Happy Hour every Wednesday at 6PM with local Latinx DJs!
• Tiny Tails to You 's virtual “hoppy” hour every Wednesday and Saturday at 9AM. Meet some the adorable furry friends in Austin!
• Healthy Kids Running Series.

As part of his weekly dispatches, the mayor features art and projects kids of all ages are working on while we’re all hunkered down in self-isolation trying to flatten that pesky curve (see above). "I’d love to share yours!" the mayor added, urging young artists to respond to his email in submitting their work. Tune in live on Facebook, the mayor concludes before adding: "In it together. Stay home."