November 8 membership meeting 'far more certain'

The planned return of on-site monthly membership meetings at AMO headquarters on November 8 appears far more certain as Florida's statewide COVID-19 case count continues to decline.

In its latest filing with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida reported a weekly average of 4,446 new coronavirus cases statewide each day as of October 1, compared to the prior week's seven-day average of 7,074 additional infections.

At the height of the month-long COVID-19 delta variant surge in August 2021, the seven-day average of new cases had soared to 23,000.

Florida's rate of new contagion statewide as of October 1 was 6.5 percent, compared to 8.6 percent a week earlier and 11.2 percent a week earlier and 13.5 percent the prior week. The state's public health officials set five percent or lower as a safe positivity rate.

Three South Florida counties continue to report declining positivity rates as of October 1. In Broward County, which includes Dania Beach, the rate of new daily infections was 5.5 percent, down from 6.6 percent. In Palm Beach County to the North, the positivity rate fell from 7.5 percent to 6.6 percent, while in Miami-Dade County to the South, the rate declined from 5.3 percent to 3.7 percent.

These steady, significant statistical improvements suggest strongly that official monthly membership meetings at AMO headquarters can resume routinely, with practical health safeguards in place for as long as necessary.

However, AMO members are cautioned against complacency. Florida has recorded 3,581,027 coronavirus cases - including 55,011 deaths spanning all demographics - since the pandemic was declared a national health emergency in mid-March 2020.

Moreover, the nationwide COVID-19 fatality rate on October 1 had surpassed 700,000 men, women and children as of October 1.

The AMO Executive Board remains committed fully to protecting the health of all seagoing AMO members and their families, and this board is prepared to adapt and adjust its strategy as necessary, given the unprecedented, unpredictable conditions linked directly to the pandemic.

As always, our thoughts are with all AMO members affected by the pandemic either personally or through family and friends, and with AMO members who have had to support sons and daughters displaced from their jobs or from their small businesses.

The AMO Executive Board will advise all deep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters AMO members of all developments as they occur, and we welcome all comments, questions, suggestions and free expression of opinion.

Paul Doell
October 4, 2021