City, Health Executives Reflect On Jacksonville’s COVID-19 Mark

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – A year ago, Duval County reported its first case of COVID-19, changing our lives in ways many of us never imagined.

City leaders and hospital officials took time on Saturday to reflect on the past year.

“You can tell a lot about people about how they react to hardships,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said in a video statement posted to YouTube marking a year since he signed an emergency order. to fight COVID-19 in Duval County. “These are defining moments for community members, and the citizens of Jacksonville have demonstrated time and time again since our founding in 1822 that we are strong, compassionate, daring and resilient people.

COVID-19 has closed beaches, gyms and entertainment venues, transitioned children to online learning, and left many people out of work.

To date, more than 90,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Duval County.

“The term for me that really connects all of the last year is, I think, ‘difficult’,” said Dr. Chirag Patel, assistant chief medical officer at UF Health Jacksonville. “Difficult due to the number of cases, the severity of the disease, the high rate of death from COVID, all of which combine to take a huge toll on the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers.”

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But Patel said the bright side is that healthcare workers and the scientific community across the country have risen to the challenge.

A year later, cases are down and several vaccination sites are set up across the city offering a silver lining.

But the mayor is encouraging people not to let their guard down even further.

“We are truly a kind and compassionate people. Now a year later more and more vaccines are becoming available, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We just need to push it a little further, ”Curry said. “I encourage everyone to fight to end this pandemic once and for all.”

As we see this light at the end of the tunnel, Patel also encourages people to continue to wear a mask, social distances, and wash their hands frequently.