The mask mandate was renewed for another week, but Hillsborough County commissioners are considering eradicating the EPG once and for all.
For the first time in months, the data presented to members of the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group showed hopeful trends.
Dr. Douglas Holt, director of the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, reminded everyone the community transmission of the virus remains widespread despite the promising numbers that the county is starting to see. That essentially means we are on the path to hopefully coming out the other side, but we are far from there yet.
The data showed the new rolling 14-day average of cases is 566, which is a 15 percent decrease. The rolling 14-day daily positive rate is 13.22 percent, which is determined based on the daily test results over the past two weeks. Hospitals also took a quick sigh of relief as data showed emergency room check-ins for COVID-19-like symptoms indicated a downward trend for the week of July 19.
But the county is by no means out of the woods. In fact, Hillsborough has long been dubbed a hotspot in Florida for thriving cases and that doesn’t look to change anytime soon. In May, the county was looking at five positive cases per 100,000 residents, according to Holt. To compare, we now are at 241 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents.
In order to get the spread of COVID-19 contained enough to where the county wouldn’t be considered a hotspot, Hillsborough would have to be at less than 175 cases per 100,000 residents.
In Florida, the number of positive cases is now at 441,977 as of Wednesday. The death toll is now 6,240.
Based on those numbers, the group voted to once again keep the mask mandate in place. The vote was once again split 5-3 with dissenters School Board Chair Melissa Snively, Plant City Vice Mayor Nate Kilton and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Donna Lusczynski.
There wasn’t much discussion regarding the situation during Monday’s meeting, but the topic was highlighted once again during the Tuesday Hillsborough County Commission meeting. Commissioners voted in support of an ordinance that would shift the responsibilities for emergency responses back to the County Commission and away from the EPG.
That was a shock to most as all of the conversations prior said pandemic response would go to the county if this change was approved, but the EPG would still handle storms and hurricanes. The ordinance voted on Tuesday would disband the EPG altogether.
Hillsborough is the only county in the entire state that has an Emergency Policy Group. County commissioners have decided it’s time to cut the ties and join the rest of the state.
The ordinance will receive its final vote following a public hearing on Aug. 5. Any member of the community is invited to speak if they wish. Then, commissioners will decide the EPG’s fate once and for all.
