ALACHUA COUNTY – On March 16, 2020, President Donald Trump recognized the growing threat of the Corona virus that had grown from a single case on Jan. 20 to more than 4,500 cases and at least 88 dead in less than five weeks. Many of the countries that were already battling the pandemic had found that social distancing and limiting events with crowds had proven an effective way to slow the rapid spread of the disease.

The president acknowledged that the Center for Disease Control and members of the others health organizations were warning of the continued spread and the need to slow its pace. They recommended closing non-essential businesses, limiting events initially to 50 and eventually to10 people and staying in home isolation except for essential trips.

At that time, Trump said that Americans could be hunkered down and practicing social distancing at least until July or August. He added that the country "may be" headed into recession as businesses are forced to lay off millions of workers, and the outbreak could last into the summer, perhaps as long as August. But both the seriousness of the pandemic and the effect on the economy were underestimated.

It was a necessary step for the government to take but would have big consequences both economically and politically. Exactly one month later on April 16, Trump announced he thought it was time to reopen the country, despite cautions from medical experts, and announced a set of guidelines. The 18 page “Opening Up America Again” identified the circumstances that states should achieve before beginning the three-stage reopening process. The president also suggested a date for opening in 14 days, on May 1-4.

“We must have a working economy. And we want to get it back. Very, very quickly. And that’s what’s going to happen,” Trump said at a White House press briefing after announcing the new guidance. As many as 29 states “will be able to open relatively soon,” Trump said later in the briefing. “We have a lot of states that, through location, through luck and also through a lot of talent ... are in a very good position.”

Federal Reopening Guidelines

The guidelines state that states could consider a three-stage reopening after they “had 14 days of a downward trajectory of cases,” but left it open that they could consider all influenza-like symptoms instead of just COVID-19 cases. It also required a “downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period (flat or increasing volume of tests) and a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including emerging antibody testing.”

Testing requirements did not include increased general public testing, which, according to medical experts, needs to be much broader than is currently available.

Hospitals also have complained that they have not received enough tests. Currently, testing is limited to people showing symptoms. There are individuals who are asymptomatic without symptoms who can carry and spread the virus, so this type of testing does not identify everyone who is infected and can spread it. It also limits the numbers of population tested, thereby decreasing the figures on actual infections.

The White house also made these guidelines not mandatory and left it up to state governors to decide when their state met the criteria to start Phase 1. So far, no state has met the 14-day downward trajectory in cases, but 29 states are opening to varied degrees. Part of the rush is due to trying to restart the economy, both nationally and locally, and get people back to work. Another aspect is political. For many governors, some citizens are tired of restrictions and want out. There have been protests in several states and some elected officials are worried it could affect the upcoming elections.

State Actions

Some states like Georgia are going full out, opening a variety of close contact businesses such as hair salons and bowling alleys and allowing group activities that were not recommended until Phase 2. Others are more cautious and extending their “stay at home” orders for another two weeks.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is supporting the reopening timeline while also trying to create a measured approach to reopening. He is trying to create a statewide policy but is determining openings based on local conditions and allowing county governments to determine when conditions are right. While this has created some confusion on what rules apply and who is in charge, it also allows more flexibility and perhaps less culpability to the state government.

Currently, the governor has approved retail businesses and restaurant to reopen as long as they use either outside facilities or only allow 25-percent capacity in interior settings. All citizens are required to wear face masks in situations where they will interact in indoor environments, but can remove masks in restaurants to eat. State and county parks are open, but social distance requirements of six feet still apply. Elective surgeries can resume. Bars and nightclubs are still closed and events over 10 people are still limited, although DeSantis made an exception for religious services. He has also reopened all beaches and hotels. Some counties with high levels of COVID-19 were not included in the governor’s reopening.

The “Stay at Home” order Governor DeSantis issued has been in effect for less than a month and was created after several counties, including Alachua County, initiated their own and maintained lower infection rates. While DeSantis has claimed, somewhat correctly, that Florida's numbers have been lower than expected due to the state's county by county approach, only two-percent of the population has been tested and there have been questions over how the data is recorded. State records initially did not include anyone who was not an official state resident, which discounted any seasonal residents. Last week, the Florida Department of Health asked the Florida Medical Examiners Commission, which sets minimum and uniform standards for statewide medical examiner services, to stop releasing its own comprehensive list of COVID-19 deaths. The medical examiners' death tally was 10 percent higher than that of the Florida Health Department,

Public Cooperation is Vital

Regardless of requirements mandated nationally, statewide, or locally, the effect of these measures is reduced or rendered useless dependent on whether the public follows them. Partial populations following guidelines is ineffective if others do not.

Some individuals believe they are immune or protected, that restrictions are an attack on their personal liberties, and are pushing to have all restrictions lifted regardless of scientific information available. Numerous conspiracy theories have surfaced and have influenced opinions without consideration of facts. An important consideration with spreading COVID-19 is not simply whether a person will get seriously ill, but the possibility of others being affected because of people disregarding mandated and recommended measures. If people cooperate and work together for the safety of all, the reopening can work. But if it is dismissed by some or rushed too early, it can cause a stronger outbreak and undo the progress already made.

This past weekend, two days before the new rules went into effect, the boat launch on US 27 on the Santa Fe River was so crowded that cars were parked in the woods and on the shoulder of the road, with the vehicles packed together. While some people seemed to maintain the distance rule, others gathered in larger groups and no one was wearing masks. It appeared that no one cared.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a situation that has not been faced in over six generations. Whether the time to reopen is premature or accurate will be determined in the next few weeks. The chance of success will be based on the decisions of leaders and on the willingness of citizens to cooperate.

#     #     #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA County – The COVID-19 virus continues to impact Florida. On April 14, the State Health Department confirmed there were 21,628 cases, an increase of 1,027 from the previous day, with an additional 111 deaths for a total of 585 deaths. The effect on the economy and businesses has been catastrophic. For many small businesses, staying closed for any length of time with no revenues could use up whatever capital and reserves the owners have and doom the business.

Southeast Florida has been the hardest hit, but there are 626 cases in North Central Florida, including 196 in Alachua County. Although increasing daily, one of the reasons that Alachua County has been able to slow the increase is because of the early “stay-at-home quarantine” requirements imposed by the county. These requirements that canceled all events over 10 people and required closing all non-essential businesses weeks before Florida Governor DeSantis made it mandatory throughout the state. These self-isolation techniques have been shown to slow the rate of transmission in other parts of the country.

Financial Assistance Available

The Federal government has passed a $2 trillion stimulus package that is unprecedented in its sheer scope and size, touching on every facet of American life with the goal of salvaging and ultimately reviving a battered economy.

The legislation will send direct payments of $1,200 to millions of Americans, including those earning up to $75,000, and an additional $500 per child. It would substantially expand jobless aid, providing an additional 13 weeks and a four-month enhancement of benefits, and would extend the payments for the first time to freelancers and gig workers.

While this will help Americans get by for a month, much more is needed for struggling businesses. The bill also offers $377 billion in federally guaranteed loans to small businesses and established a $500 billion government lending program for distressed companies reeling from the impact of the crisis.

Additionally, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to Florida small businesses suffering as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the president to declare a disaster. Any state that is declared in a state of emergency or disaster area gets access to more federal funds for both business and medical operations.

Small businesses, private non-profit organizations of any size, and small agricultural operations may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue from the COVID-19 pandemic. The interest rate is 3.75 percent for small businesses and the SBA offers loans with long-term repayments up to a maximum of 30 years.

However, many smaller businesses also had to lay off staff, bringing the unemployment rate to record highs. Florida’s CONNECT unemployment site has been answering only two percent of the thousands of calls received, with wait times averaging more than six hours. Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program is an additional program to support small businesses. The program, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), provides short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses. On April 14, the DEO website states it is continuing to review applications that were received online or postmarked by Monday, April 13, 2020 and will continue to process loans for Florida businesses affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19 until available funds are expended.

A common problem is that all of these applications and receipt of funds take time, possibly months due to the numbers of people applying for assistance. For many small businesses, restaurants and bars, the current loss of income can be irreversible.

Local Business Scene

Locally, many businesses are reinventing the way they reach customers and make sales. Many have turned to internet sales and social media, giving the customers the option to shop online and order items for pick up or delivery.

Tina Lanza, who owns Lanza Gallery and Art supplies in High Springs, has turned to the internet and Facebook to make customers aware of her products and offers suggestion about what supplies work best with each art medium. Each item ordered is wiped down with antiseptic wipes and delivered to the customer curbside outside her store. Although it has been a struggle to transition from the traditional storefront sales, Lanza is seeing the business pick up. River Run, an olive oil store, is also using the internet, offering recipes and food/wine pairing suggestions for their various oils.

The High Springs Brewing company was a popular night spot with handmade craft beers, food trucks and entertainment until Alachua County closed all restaurants and nightclubs, as well as all live entertainment. The brewery was eligible to sell sealed packaged drinks for consumption off site, and they are open 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. six days a week to sell cans and large bottles of their beer. Although the take out business only produces about 50 percent of their usual income, it is enough to cover operating expenses and staff so they can continue to produce some revenue.

Some of the hardest hit businesses are restaurants and bars. Limited to only offering take out or delivery, many restaurants had to dramatically reduce staff and some closed in the hopes that the closing would not be long. Other restaurants opted to offer take-out orders only. For some, like Brown's Restaurant in Alachua, it proved to be unprofitable and they decided to close. Others, such as Mi Apa and the restaurants on Main Street in Alachua continue with varied success. In High Springs, several eateries such as El Patio and Spins are offering takeout for lunch and dinner. In Newberry, Woodyard Grill is offering daily specials in addition to their full menu for takeout.

Despite the limitations of stay at home, many people welcome an occasional chance to get out of the house for someone else's cooking, especially if they have special dietary needs or lifestyle.

Bambi's Country Market and Cafe in High Springs specializes in vegetarian dishes and micro biotic cooking and has a loyal clientele. “We have actually seen a very small drop in our business although we have cut back our operating hours to 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 11a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. We also are doing a fresh produce market on Friday of vegetables we grow on our farm,” said owner Bambi Liss.

The have set up a drive through service for people to order and pick up. “I think one of the reasons it [business] is steady is that with this virus, people are realizing that healthy eating can help build the immune system and prevent infections. We are even offering an immune boosting soup designed specifically to help boost heart, circulatory and airway strength as well as the immune system. In this time of the pandemic there is a lot people can do with their diet to help improve their health,” said Liss.

#     #     #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

NEWBERRY – Many small businesses are built on a dream—people wanting to follow a passion and start a new business in their control and direction. The new digital age has allowed these small businesses to get exposure and gain clientele. Some of the more artistic businesses also depend on art shows, fairs and exhibits to increase their market. Now, any events that includes crowds are on hold for an undetermined time. Over 24 million jobs have disappeared in fewer than two months.

Deborah Salmi is a digital marketing professional by trade, but she started her own business designing and making hand-poured aromatherapy soy candles under the company name of Ritual Tree.

“For each candle sale, I give a portion of the sales proceeds to the Nature Conservancy to plant trees in degraded areas, restore wetlands, and plant new forests,” Salmi said. “After you use your candle, the pot can be repurposed for planting. The dust cover that came with your candle, is biodegradable seed-infused paper made by a local artist and you can wet the cover and plant it”

Newberry resident Mandy Wyrick makes handcrafted bath and spa products under the company name of Ginger Bomb Naturals. Each are made by hand with natural ingredients and a large variety of scents and natural ingredients.

Dee Mullin is also from Newberry and owns a plant and succulent nursery. Mullin has over 25 years of experience as a freelance floral designer and now concentrates on designs with succulents. She has a successful business doing event arrangements, art shows and festivals.

These three independent business women have something in common. Like so many others, all future business disappeared. Salmi was looking at all her inventory of candles meant to relax and remove stress that were simply gathering dust. She also knew that despite her loss of work, there were many people still working in often stressful but necessary positions who were putting their own health on the line to provide services for the general public. There has been recognition of heroic efforts and self-sacrifice by medical and first responders in this pandemic. But there are less visible jobs that may not be as dangerous or intense, but still put the worker at risk and are necessary to maintain.

Grocery store workers have important, “essential” jobs that put them on the front lines during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Their work is high-risk because they are in direct contact with potentially infected members of the public; oftentimes with little protective gear. There are reported increasing cases in the food and service industry. It’s a hard decision to go to work every day, never knowing if you may come in contact with an invisible enemy.

It was then that Salmi contacted Mullin and Wyrick with a concept. All three had a surplus of product that were meant for relaxation and beauty, so why not make gift packages to take to grocery stores and hospitals to thank the employees for their dedication. They called the project Scents, Suds and Succulents for Essential Workers.

The idea was to help these essential workers manage their stress, using surplus inventory from canceled craft shows and farmer’s markets and put together in gift bags. These beautiful handmade gifts are designed to ease stress and encourage relaxation and let these employees know that they are appreciated.

“Our own Scents, Suds & Succulents team member, Mandy, knows this first hand because her mother, Judy Kail, is a grocery store worker in Pennsylvania,” Salmi said.

On April 28, the women took three carts of gift bags to the Publix at Hunters Crossing to give to the employees, with a little over 100 self-care bags for their workers.

That first batch of gift bags came from their own supply of handmade products and plants. They hope to continue sharing the love, but with more than 2,700 local employees of Publix alone, not to mention the other food stores in town, it’s not economically possible for them alone.

They have set up a GoFundMe page under Scents, Suds, and Succulents for Essential Workers. The link to that page is https://bit.ly/2yWeKLi

All money donated will strictly go to materials for these gifts. They hope that other people will see the purpose and value in giving a small gift of appreciation to the people working in these troubled conditions., If enough can be raised the group wants to expand the gifts to hospital workers as well.

#     #     #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA County – The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people are living their lives. It has changed the way people work, with many now working from home—or suddenly unemployed. It has changed the way people interact and socialize, with most states issuing “stay at home” orders and social distancing rules. Entertainment time has changed, no more live sports events, music, in-theater movies or socializing in bars or restaurants, no more gatherings of more than 10 people. People have isolated themselves and families to try and control the spread of the virus. This has also affected family life and how children are educated.

On March 17, Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran announced that schools will be closed through April 15 due to COVID-19. That date was then extended to May 1, which means the new target date for reopening schools is Monday, May 4.

Florida education officials called for each school district to close its doors and move classes online. Despite the recommendation from some officials, Florida Governor DeSantis said it’s possible each county might return to school at different times. This change and uncertainty about reopening has uprooted the traditional education system, putting additional burdens on everyone. Teachers have transitioned their lessons to a remote learning platform, which is available to parents online or through paper packets. If families do not have a computer or device to access online, Alachua County schools are loaning some equipment to help families. If they do not have an internet connection, they can request written lesson packages by contacting the school or teacher. The schools also send out emails to keep parents aware of what is going on.

Healthy Eating Important in Learning Process

Parents are becoming more involved in the teaching process, home schooling their children with the teacher’s guidance. They now have to take command of making sure their children complete the assigned work. For working parents this puts an additional strain both in finding the time to watch over their child's education, and in many cases, if they were working during what was school hours, they could depend on their children getting fed at least one meal during the day. For lower income families, this was often a necessity. Now with high unemployment, many more families have found their income shrink.

Across the nation, schools serve a bigger purpose than just education in children's health and development. Food is important to a child's health and ability to focus. Since children spend an average of six to seven hours of their day in school, lunches need to be provided and every school has a kitchen staff to feed the children. In addition, 38 million Americans live below the poverty level and an equal amount are barely above that, living paycheck to paycheck, and for these children and their parents, school lunch programs are vital.

Federal and state governments have programs to provide funding and resources to schools throughout the nation. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is one of several federal resources. The NSLP provided low-cost or free lunches to 29.7 million children daily at a cost of $13.8 billion last year. The Farm to School program matches local farms to school to provide fresh produce for healthier meals to students. Other grants and resources are also available to help schools meet the demand to feed over 56 million school children.

School Meal Distribution Sites

In Alachua County, 18 percent of the population is under 18 and the poverty level is 19.8 percent, which puts a heavier burden on the 47 schools in the district that participate in the Community Eligibility program to provide student meals. When COVID-19 closed all the schools, all school age children lost those lunchtime meals served onsite at the schools. Knowing how important these food programs were to the students, school districts throughout the country scrambled to find ways to get the food to the students. Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) devised several methods to continue to provide meals in a safe way while following the COVID-19 restrictions. The USDA waived the requirement that all meals had to be eaten on campus and the ACPS set up drive-through meal deliveries for families in need to get food for their children. They also expanded the meal program to include breakfast for the following day.

Children 18 years old and younger can receive free breakfast and lunch from ACPS Food and Nutrition Services Department. The meals will continue to be distributed the entire time while the schools are closed. The ACPS has set up 76 distribution sites throughout Alachua County. That includes schools, community sites and parks, and even stops along school bus routes that serve a large proportion of high-needs students.

Mondays through Fridays, children receive a cold, grab-and-go lunch for that day and breakfast for the following morning. The cold lunches consist of a sandwich, fruit, crackers, cheese stick and a drink. According to Caron Rowe, a Food Service Specialist with the school board, they decided on cold lunches for safety and preparation ability. “We received a lot of messages from concerned parents about the safety and possible transmission of the virus. By using a drive-up method, they simply drive up, stay in their cars and receive the whole meal in a plastic bag.”

Staff wear face masks and gloves at all times. The prepackaged food allows for less contact with the food and also makes it easier for food service staff to prepare and assemble. “We are used to preparing cooked meals in an onsite kitchen, so this was a learning experience as we went,” said Rowe. “Currently we are serving over 20,000 meals per day at the various locations.” Although much of the food is prepackaged for safety reasons, they are also working with some of the farms in the Farm to School program as well. “We have purchased 3,100 pounds of fresh blueberries from the Clay Ranch Berry Farm that will be added to all the meals for the next three weeks,” said Rowe. Although the schools are currently closed until May 1, that date could be extended. “If it gets extended, we will still be here for the kids as long as we get the supplies. Our staff cares about the students and have big hearts,” Rowe said. “We will be here until life returns to normal and the kids are back in school”

At the 32 schools and eight community sites, meals will be distributed from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday. At the 15 bus drop-off locations, times will vary depending on the stop and route. Families are urged to check the schedule for bus stop distribution. The district has also received permission from the federal government to provide meals to students to eat over the weekends. Those meals will be given out to students on Fridays. The meals are for all children from 0 to 18. Children do not have to be enrolled at a particular school or program to receive meals. They also do not have to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals during the regular school year to take advantage of the program. If they receive 24-hour notice, the school may be able to provide formula for babies.

More information about the program can be found at https://www.yourchoicefresh.com/, which also contains a list of all available pick up sites and times. Parents can also call their child's school for details and to arrange to get lesson packages.

#     #     #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com