‘Once In 100 Years’: Manatee Leaders Reflect On COVID-19 Pandemic

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — When Dr. Jennifer Bencie, the Manatee County health officer, was called to a local hospital the night of Feb. 29, 2020, she knew that life was about to change.

The patient she was called in for wasn’t just the first presumed positive coronavirus case in the county, which was confirmed the next day. It was the first case in the state as well, and she recognized it as a historic moment.

“This is it. This is something that happens every 100 years in public health, and we’re about to face it head-on,” she recalled thinking as she drove to the hospital.

She talked about that pivotal moment during a virtual program Wednesday organized by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

The Zoom event marked one year of living with COVID-19 in Manatee County and featured a panel of local leaders who stepped up to the plate as the county coped with the pandemic. These speakers represented four sectors: health care, county government, nonprofits and businesses.

In addition to Bencie, speakers included Susie Bowie, executive director of the Manatee Community Foundation; Jacki Dezelski, chamber president and CEO; and Karen Stewart, Manatee County’s acting county administrator.

Healthcare

Since that first positive case, more than 33,000 Manatee County residents have tested positive for the virus and more than 600 have died, Bencie said.

The positivity rate in Manatee County between March 1 of last year and Wednesday is 14.86 percent, she said. “We want it below 10 (percent).”

Over the past seven days, 5.85 percent of those tested have been positive, she said. That number rises slightly to 6.04 percent over a two-week period.

“So, we’re moving towards the goal. We want to get below 5 percent” over two weeks, Bencie said.

During the course of the pandemic, 53 percent of Manatee County residents have been tested for the COVID-19 virus, she added.

In recent months, the county has been focused on its vaccine distribution. So far, 52 percent of those 65 and older have received the vaccine. According to state data, nearly 76,000 people have received at least their first dose of the vaccine as of Wednesday.

Nearly 53,000 of these people have been vaccinated through the county’s Department of Health at Tom Bennett Park, the Public Safety Center or through pop-up events in the community, Bencie said.

The DOH in Manatee County is also busy trying to stay ahead of the governor’s executive orders as he expands eligibility for the vaccine, she said. Starting Monday, it will be available to those 60 and older.

Bencie also acknowledges more work needs to be done vaccinating the county’s Black and Hispanic communities. The county has received “a grant to address vaccination hesitancy” in these groups, she said.

She also stressed that everyone should still wear masks, even as more people are vaccinated.

“Masks are still extremely important. We haven’t gotten anywhere near herd immunity,” she said, adding, “I think we are rounding first base. We’re getting close.”

County Government

Stewart also spoke about the challenges of the year from the perspective of county government.

“In a year that cannot be forgotten, the county has faced some significant challenges, including early pandemic planning where we didn’t know what we didn’t know,” she said.

Challenges included restocking personal protective equipment for county employees, closing county offices, disseminating information, and vaccine planning and scheduling. She noted that Manatee County’s vaccination program was one of the first in the state.

Manatee County staff stepped into roles they wouldn’t normally have taken on as they addressed the needs of those most vulnerable in the community, Stewart said. Their efforts included working on matters of homelessness, feeding the hungry and child care. They also made regular wellness calls to more than 1,200 homebound residents.

The county also launched its 311 call center as a central contact point for residents one year ago, she said. In that period, they’ve received around 199,000 calls, and the center has played a large role in launching the county’s vaccination program.

Stewart also highlighted the $70 million in CARES Act funding that continues to be distributed by the county. The money is disbursed in four categories: Community Health & Wellbeing, Economic Recovery, Government & Community Facilities, and Public Health & Safety.

Currently, the county has $12 million in rental assistance to distribute. Stewart also anticipates additional funding being made across all categories from the most recent stimulus package approved by Congress.

Nonprofits

Bowie highlighted the efforts of the county’s nonprofit organizations during the pandemic.

“They are doing all of the hard work that needs to be done to ensure that people do not fall through the cracks,” she said.

But many of these organizations have faced their own financial concerns during the pandemic, she said. In June 2020, about 76 percent of Manatee County’s local nonprofits anticipated using some of all of their operating reserves within six months.

“We fear for their sustainability,” as not all of these groups have reserve funds available, Bowie said.

Still, she was impressed during the Manatee Community Foundation’s Giving Challenge in May as donors stepped up to support the area’s nonprofit organizations.

Calling it “a turning point,” Bowie added that “it was a hopeful moment.”

Still, the pandemic isn’t over, she said. She encourages people to continue to donate to area nonprofits that are assisting those requiring help meeting their basic needs.

“Statistics show that all giving happens at the very beginning of a disaster,” she said.

As life normalizes, part of the challenge will be reminding the community that many are still struggling, Bowie said.

Local Businesses

Dezelski spoke about how the chamber pivoted its efforts to reach the business community in Manatee County.

At the start of the pandemic, when chamber staff was uncertain about how it could help local businesses, it simply lent an ear, she said. “We found ourselves in the role of a sounding board, particularly early on when there was so much uncertainty.”

And like many organizations, it turned to virtual events to assist its members. Since March 2020, the chamber hosted 24 webinars with 1,400 attendees and more than 1,700 members attended online networking events. The chamber also hosted more than 100 committee, board and task force meetings.

To help businesses adapt to the pandemic, the chamber launched a new website, RecoverManatee.com, dedicated to coronavirus news and assistance available. It also launched a corresponding Facebook group, ManateeStrong, for people to share their stories.

“We knew there was a real hunger and a need to share the good stories that were emerging very early of people helping one another,” Dezelski said.

As the state recovers from the pandemic, Manatee County boasts “a number of bright spots,” she added. This includes the county’s “unemployment rate tracking lower than the state average. We’ve actually seen employment growth over past years and higher-wage jobs.”

And things are looking up for local businesses in 2021, Dezelski added. So far, there have been 19 ribbon cuttings welcoming new businesses, and 67 new members have joined the chamber.