'Spring break' COVID surge forces cancellation of April meeting

An anticipated "Spring Break" surge in South Florida COVID-19 cases and holiday timing combined to force cancellation of the regularly scheduled monthly AMO membership meeting at union headquarters in Dania Beach on Monday, April 5.

By April 1, Florida had reported 2,057,735 cases of the coronavirus statewide since the national health emergency was declared in mid-March 2020. In Broward County, the reported total was 214,599 cases, with 2,701 fatalities. Palm Beach County to the immediate North reported 131,581 cases, and Miami-Dade County to the South confirmed 214,599 cases.

Under local restrictions in Broward County and in Dania Beach, gatherings of 10 or more are prohibited when the rate of new infection exceeds 5 percent. While approved vaccine availability and distribution in Broward had caused the "positivity rate" to hover between 5 percent and 6 percent throughout March, the enormous number of out-of-state visitors - college students and others from across the U.S. - had by April 1 caused the Broward rate to reach 7.48 percent. "Spring break" is expected to continue for at least two more weeks.

The initial April COVID-19 numbers were reported during Holy Week, with Passover and Easter Sunday religious observances and family celebrations drawing immediate focus. Under this additional circumstance, we would not expect AMO members who are home to travel to AMO headquarters for a membership meeting.

We do anticipate the return of direct AMO membership meetings in May.

On behalf of the AMO Executive Board, I wish all AMO families a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday break, and we stand in moral support of AMO members who may have COVID-19 cases in house or who may be assisting sons and daughters displaced from their jobs or forced to shutter small businesses during this pandemic.

Paul Doell
April 1, 2021