City, health leaders reflect on the COVID-19 branding on Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A year ago, Duval County reported the first case of COVID-19, which changed our lives in ways many of us could never have imagined.

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

“You can tell a lot about people about how they respond to hardship,” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said in a video statement on YouTube that marked a year since he signed an emergency order to address COVID-19 in Duval County. “These are defining moments for people in communities, and the people of Jacksonville have demonstrated time and again since our founding in 1822 that we are strong, compassionate, courageous, and resilient people.”

COVID-19 has closed beaches, gyms and entertainment venues, switched children to online learning and left many people without jobs.

More than 90,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Duval County to date.

“The term for me that really connects the whole past year, I find ‘challenging,'” said Dr. Chirag Patel, assistant medical director at UF Health Jacksonville. “Challenging because of the number of cases, the severity of the disease, the high death rate with COVID, all of which together take a huge toll on the mental health and wellbeing of health workers.”

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But Patel said the silver lining is that health workers and the scientific community across the country were up to the challenge.

A year later, cases are decreasing and several vaccination sites are set up in the city that offer a glimmer of hope.

But the mayor is encouraging people not to be completely on their guard just yet.

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

As we see that light at the end of the tunnel, Patel also encourages people to keep wearing a mask, socialize, and wash your hands regularly.