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The Villages
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

It’s high time Villagers take COVID-19 seriously as outbreak sweeps across community

The numbers are staggering – and scary enough that Villagers and area residents need to take immediate action.

As of Friday, a whopping 178,594 Floridians and visitors to the Sunshine State had tested positive for the potentially deadly COVID-19 virus. Of those, 3,785 have died of the illness and 15,491 have required some form of hospital care.

Villagers lined up for COVID-19 testing last week at New Covenant United Methodist Church in The Villages.

Similarly, the tri-county area is reporting 2,821 cases, 52 deaths and 268 people hospitalized. Of those, 133 have been identified in The Villages – 121 in Sumter County, 10 in Lake County and two in the Marion County portion of the sprawling retirement mecca. Also, since June 15, 54 cases have been reported in the Sumter County area of the community alone – a number that continues to climb on a daily basis.

Sadly, since the pandemic broke out in early March, at least two Sumter County Villagers – Carol Lynch and Debbie Butler – have succumbed to the virus. Multiple cases have been reported in the Kelsea Villas. Positive results shut down all three local Village Dental offices and Rohan Recreation Center and led to a deep cleaning at The Villages Charter Schools.

The pandemic also has wreaked havoc at the Lake County Jail, where Master Dep. Lynn Jones died after testing positive. Cases also have been reported at the federal prison in Coleman, the Marion County Jail and the Sumter Correctional Institution in Bushnell.

Lake County sheriff’s Master Dep. Lynn Jones, who worked at the jail, contracted the COVID-19 virus on June 13 and died at his home in Orange County.

Many area residents might not be aware of it, but the current COVID-19 nightmare erupted after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on June 3 that Florida was entering in Phase Two of his reopening plan. In that announcement he said that bars, movie theaters, bowling alleys, arcades and auditoriums could reopen and like restaurants, operate at 50 percent capacity inside and full capacity outside – as long as strict social distancing and sanitizing measures were being followed.

If you’re wondering how that Phase Two reopening is going, consider this: On the day the governor made his announcement there were 58,764 cases being reported across the Sunshine State. As of Friday, that number had ballooned significantly, with an additional 119,830 cases being reported. Bars have been closed down again and health officials are practically begging Sunshine State residents to take precautions to protect themselves against the virus.

DeSantis first blamed the massive spike in cases on increased testing, farmers and migrant workers who live and work in close quarters, and jails and prisons. But he soon backtracked and admitted that the rapid climb in cases couldn’t be blamed solely on more tests being conducted. He pointed out that the majority of new cases have been identified among younger adults, many of whom have been ignoring social distancing guidelines and refusing to wear face coverings. They’ve gathered in large groups across the state on many occasions and outbreaks have been common.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on June 3 at Universal Orlando Resort that 64 of Florida’s 67 counties would move into Phase Two of reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apparently, many of these young people consider themselves invincible and don’t fear the Coronavirus like they should. Rumors erupted last week about COVID-19 parties where those who are infected attend and the first person to catch the virus receives a payout. Apparently since there’s only been two deaths among those under 18 in Florida, many young people just aren’t that concerned about the dangers of catching the virus.

Unfortunately, they seem to forget that they can infect others – especially those who are elderly and/or suffering from underlying health conditions. That’s of particular concern here in The Villages, as children and grandchildren from across the country typically flock to the mega-retirement community during the summer months to spend time with their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and/or family friends. Just imagine the number of additional cases that could break out here if an influx of infected young people descended on the community. Frankly, it could be devastating.

To make matters even more bizarre, DeSantis has adamantly opposed the idea of making face coverings mandatory in public places. His stance has drawn criticism from Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who is the only Democrat serving on the GOP governor’s Cabinet. And even though he won’t make masks a requirement, health department officials across the state and the nation are highly encouraging their use.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Gov. Ron DeSantis are at odds over making face coverings mandatory amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

By now you’re probably wondering what, if anything, you can do about this entire nightmare. Not surprisingly, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Fortunately, there are safety measures you can take that actually are very simple to follow:

  • Stay at home as much as you can;
  • Keep a safe distance – at least six feet – from others;
  • Avoid crowds and contact with people who are sick;
  • Wash your hands often;
  • Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers;
  • Cover your cough;
  • Restrict travel;
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces often;
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a mask in public settings and when you are around people who don’t live in your household – especially when other social distancing measures can’t be maintained;
  • Be alert for symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headaches, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea; and
  • If you think you have the virus, call ahead before going to a doctor’s office.

Here’s the bottom line: It’s pretty much now or never if we have any hopes of getting this nasty virus under control – at least until a vaccination becomes available. If people practice the measures listed above, health officials say we’ve got a good shot at significantly slowing its spread. But it will take a commitment from Americans across all age groups to make it happen.

Gina Rohr, a nurse with the Florida Department of Health in Marion County, speaks to a resident about the COVID-19 testing process. The health department tested more than 400 people last month at a drive-thru site at Stonecrest in Summerfield.

Hopefully, local residents who have thrown caution to the wind will reverse course and join with the majority of folks who understand the dangers of COVID-19 and are doing everything they can to get it under control. Maybe those naysayers will finally realize that having drinks and parties with large groups can be deadly. And maybe they’ll see the light when it comes to social distancing, frequent sanitizing and face masks.

Otherwise, we’re likely see to those daily numbers of new cases increase at a rapid pace. Many of our friends and neighbors will probably get very ill. And we’ll all be attending more funerals and memorial services as we continue to lose loved ones and friends who mean so much to us.

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