He realized that many people were “disappointed” by his decision.
The mayor of Denver apologized for the trip on Wednesday after calling on residents to stay home for Thanksgiving when COVID-19 cases are accelerating.
On Wednesday, Mayor Michael B. Hancock set out for Mississippi to join his wife and daughter there, he said.
Earlier that day, the mayor told KMGH, a subsidiary of Denver ABC, that during the holiday, “if you can, stay in your household. If you can, stay with those in your household.” If you decide to travel, he said, “do what we’ve always asked for throughout the experience: Wear a mask, social distance, and wash your hands.”
He also advised residents to avoid the “if they can” trip and write virtual gatherings for this Thanksgiving on social media on Wednesday.
Hancock did not mention his own travel plans. In Mea’s culpa, the mayor said he should have.
“I fully acknowledge that I have made everyone stay at home and avoid unnecessary travel,” he said in a statement. “I shared that my family had canceled our traditional multi-household Thanksgiving celebration plan. What I didn’t share but should have done is that my wife and daughter were in Mississippi, where my daughter recently took a job. The holiday was approaching.” I decided it would be safer for me to travel to see them than if two family members travel back to Denver. “
They came across the news of Hancock’s travels calls for hypocrisy On Twitter. The mayor said he acknowledged that many people were “disappointed” by his decision.
“As a civil servant whose behavior is being properly investigated for sending a message to others, I apologize to Denver residents who consider my decision to be contrary to the instruction to stay home except for essential travel,” he said. “As a husband and father, I made the decision, and for those who are angry and frustrated, I humbly ask you to forgive decisions that burden my heart and not my head.”
In Denver County, the number of COVID-19 cases has soared, with the seven-day moving average of new cases reaching a peak of 728 on Nov. 21, county data show. The county falls into the state’s “level red” risk category, indicating that the 14-day average positivity rate is between 10% and 15%.
The Center for Disease Prevention and Control has advised people to spend their holidays at home as the number of COVID-19 cases jumps.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis also called on residents to avoid interactions with people outside their households during Thanksgiving amid the state’s “disturbing COVID trends”. About 41 out of Coloradan were contagious with COVID-19, up from 49 last week, he said at a news conference Tuesday.
“This is the highest rate of contagious coloring ever,” the governor said. “So it’s not a time of fear, it’s a time of great caution.”
Polis said he only plans to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family of four.
According to the state’s latest health policy, individuals are encouraged to limit travel to “necessary travel,” such as for critical government and business purposes.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo similarly faced a step back after saying on a radio show earlier this week that his mother and two daughters were traveling to Albany for the holiday. He soon reversed the direction. “It’s hard, but sometimes it’s hard to be smart,” he said at a news conference Tuesday.
ABC News Clayton Sandell contributed to the report.
