'If It's Here, It's Here': America's Retirees Confront the Virus in Florida [The Villages]

[DBoon]

Since the beginning of July, hospital admissions of residents from the Villages have quadrupled at University of Florida Health The Villages, the hospital’s critical care doctors said. As of last week, the hospital admitted 29 Villages residents, all of them with the virus, said Dr. Anil Gogineni, a pulmonologist and critical care doctor there. That was up from the single digits three weeks before.

...
In Sumter County, the biggest of three counties where most of the Villages is concentrated, the number of cases ballooned from 68 in the first week of June to more than 270 last week, according to the county’s health department.

The Villages is a sprawling palm-tree-lined complex so big it has three ZIP codes, 12 golf courses and multiple libraries and movie theaters, drawing affluent retirees from all over the country.

...

The rise in cases among older residents most likely stems from the spread of the virus by young people who are not taking preventive measures like wearing masks, said Dr. Madiha Syed, an infectious-disease specialist who works at University of Florida Health.

“You see, they don’t wear their masks,” Dr. Syed sighed. “What do you do?”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/20/us/coronavirus-florida-elderly.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

[louis-t]

1. Wasn't that where trumpers were screaming insults at people

who wanted them to wear masks? Gee, maybe they'll take it seriously now. But I doubt it.

[lark]

2. Karma.

Bet the screamer is one of the infected, it's what he deserves.

[Champp]

5. yes, they sheepishly followed the "guidance' of the Republican golfer-in-chief

[brooklynite]

3. The GOOD news is: shorter lines to tee off at the golf course as people die off...

[llmart]

4. I wouldn't be so quick to blame young people for this.

Do any of you remember the pictures from early on where the seniors held a dance in The Villages? Some of them were interviewed and they didn't care that there was no social distancing, etc.

I live in a senior community and we have some ignorant seniors in here also. The one across the street from me just flew to another state because "I just need a vacation so badly." Never wears a mask. She is as dumb as a rock.

[crickets]

8. Yes. Sadly, they really have no one to blame but themselves. nt

[Thekaspervote]

11. Exactly!

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. I don't think people under 50 are allowed in there

except to visit during the day.

Those people just blew the danger off.

[mcar]

7. I expected it sooner but, just like in my county next door,

we're getting slammed now.

[OAITW r.2.0]

9. The Villages would seem to provide some unique insight on how the C-19 is viewed.

A shame that they can't ask Party ID for those being admitted/treated. I would expect that the # of Republican's being admitted/treated would reflect a much higher % than those that identify as Democrats/Independents.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. Their numbers are going up but not anywhere as much as my county.

Sumter county has less tests, and death rates are etching up, but nothing outrageous yet.

[GeorgeGist]

12. Seriously ...

"In Sumter County, the biggest of three counties where most of the Villages is concentrated, the number of cases ballooned from 68 in the first week of June to more than 270 last week, according to the county’s health department."