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Florida Department of Health issues warning as COVID-19 cases increase in Leon County

Florida restaurants face uncertain future as COVID-19 regulations remain in place
Posted at 6:56 PM, Jul 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-01 19:05:09-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Department of Health in Leon County is warning residents to stay vigilant after more than 250 new positive cases of coronavirus were reported last weekend.

From June 26 to June 28, DOH-Leon says 252 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the county

In response to this significant increase, they say they are temporarily shifting local DOH resources to prioritize investigation of cases and contacts in the most vulnerable populations.

The median age for cases was 23-years old and close to 50 percent of the total cases in the 18 to 24-year-old age range. Health officials say the positivity rate for the last seven days was twice as much as the previous seven days.

The department reminds everyone to continue practicing preventative measures, by wearing a mask securely over your nose and mouth and keeping six feet away from others while in public.

“We are at a critical moment in our COVID-19 recovery journey,” said Claudia Blackburn, the health officer at the Leon County Health Department. “Over the last few weeks, businesses and public spaces have reopened, and many more people have been out and around others. With increased contact among non-household members, there are many more opportunities for transmission of COVID-19, particularly if public health directives are not followed. Our collective responsibility is to take immediate action, as individuals and businesses, to reverse the trends we are experiencing.”

The best protection against COVID-19 continues to be to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing, and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household.

People who have underlying health conditions remain at a much greater risk for serious illness from COVID-19.

Because of that, it’s critical that vulnerable residents stay at home as much as possible, have groceries and medicine delivered, and call their health care providers immediately if they experience symptoms.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, County-by-County COVID-19 reports, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your community can be found on the Public Health website, by clicking here.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about COVID-19: