This time last year, many of us were planning trips, preparing delicious food and looking forward to dinner tables crowded with loved ones. Feasts and communal gatherings have been at the heart of the Thanksgiving tradition since the earliest American harvest. Yet, in this global pandemic, many of our traditions must wait. Covid-19 has transformed the holiday in ways we cannot ignore.
As of Nov. 23, Arkansas has reported up to 146,190 cases of covid-19 since the pandemic began. More than 4,627 of these cases have originated in Jefferson County. With not only today's Thanksgiving but Christmas in the coming weeks, we face the significant risk of rising infections. Recent history affirms the challenges that holidays can pose.
The U.S. experienced spikes earlier this year after Americans flocked together for summer holidays. The inherent nature of Thanksgiving -- colder weather, family gatherings and group dinners -- makes this holiday particularly concerning.
As a result, public health experts are advising us to follow safeguards. These include social distancing, wearing masks and avoiding other households (even extended family). If individuals do gather with relatives from outside their household, they should still practice social distancing, wear masks and limit gatherings to no more than 10 people. We recognize the difficulty of these safeguards, considering the challenges we have endured.
Burdened by months of separation, nothing would be more comforting than to see our families, hug them and laugh together. Our spirits are craving the uplifting effect of familiar camaraderie that Thanksgiving can offer. In fact, it is cruelly ironic that in the midst of historic hardship, when leaning upon one another is desperately needed, we are forced to remain apart.
Yet self-restraint is essential to our safety. It is the sacrifice that we must all make. This is neither the first sacrifice we have made in 2020 nor the last. It is one among many. Nevertheless, 2020 has revealed the heroic resilience of Pine Bluff residents as many have continued to sacrifice, work hard and stand against unimaginable adversities.
Our health workers, for example, have fought on the front lines of the pandemic. Their work shifts have been long, the toll on their well-being has been immense, and the risks they have confronted and continue to confront have been staggering. Yet they care for their patients brilliantly, with kindness and methodical skill. First responders have served honorably. Whether rushing into burning structures, responding to dangerous calls or providing life-saving assistance, many have executed their duties with courageous endurance.
Local nonprofits have contributed to our resilience by working to ease great hardships. Food drives and supply distributions have provided critical resources to those in need in Pine Bluff and surrounding regions. The business community has strengthened our city through its ongoing cooperation with health guidelines. Many have not only complied with health advice, but they have also implemented practices that enhance the safety of their customers and employees.
These very employees have demonstrated resilience by continuing to work in extreme circumstances to provide vital goods and services. Many in the faith community have added to these efforts through their cooperation as well as their generosity. Parents, teachers, students and school administrators have demonstrated resilience through sheer perseverance. Holding our education system together has required patience, labor and close collaboration. Countless among them have answered this extraordinary call to action.
While the nation has been grappling with this once-in-a-lifetime virus, it has also been compiling a census count. Here in the city, resilient volunteers and workers labored extensively to ensure that Pine Bluff was counted in the 2020 census. Residents responded and made sure their voices were heard by completing the questionnaire online, by mail, over the phone and at their front doors. Like the census, our elections also proceeded in spite of the virus. Resilient poll workers, county officials and volunteers shouldered our democracy through this extraordinary process and ensured that our votes were counted.
At the same time, we cannot forget the economic concerns that our community identified at the onset of this crisis compared to our current state. While families and the overall city have not avoided difficulties, Pine Bluff continues to progress. New enterprises like Saracen Casino and Resort launched earlier this fall, making Pine Bluff a destination city. The Downtown streetscape is nearing completion. Renovations are being finalized at the Pine Bluff Community Center, and CARTI will soon be constructing a new treatment center in Pine Bluff.
Of course, our resilience is not without anguish. This holiday is a painful reminder of what we have lost. As of Nov. 23, more than 2,387 Arkansans have died as a result of covid-19, with more than 102 from Jefferson County. These numbers represent mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends and neighbors who can no longer share this holiday with us. To their loved ones, we express our deepest sorrow. Long after the pandemic ends, we will remember the lives lost.
This year has yielded tragedies, uncertainties, achievements and obstacles. Yet through it all, the resilience of Pine Bluff has proved constant. Because of this unified strength, we are still here. Therefore, we are grateful for the people of Pine Bluff on this Thanksgiving holiday. We are grateful for the resilience that our residents have demonstrated. It is this same resilience that we should carry with us into the future.
Shirley Washington is the mayor of Pine Bluff.