Today, the City of Clermont announced that it is canceling all city-run events and programs through the end of March as a preventative measure against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Canceled March city events include Friday Night at the Black Box, Clermont Cycle & Seek, Hotel California, Coffee with the Mayor and Movies Under the Stars. Programs include all senior activities, open gym, recreational programs at the Clermont Arts and Recreation Center and more. The Kehlor Building and Champions Splash Park will be closed starting March 13. Stay tuned for future updates and visit www.ClermontFL.gov for the latest information.
“The City of Clermont is taking these measures out of an abundance of caution to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19),” City Manager Darren Gray said. “This is for the safety and well-being of our residents, staff and the community, and especially to protect those who are most vulnerable – the elderly and those with chronic illness.”
For these reasons, the city also is encouraging people to use its online services whenever possible, as opposed to coming into city facilities, such as for utility billing payments, development services and clerk’s office requests.
The city is offering full refunds upon request for city-run events and programs until further notice. Private event renters who choose to cancel their city facility rentals will be offered a credit that will be good through the city’s fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2020.
The announcement comes on the heels of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recommendation today that all mass gatherings be postponed.
For the majority of people, the immediate risk of being exposed to the virus is thought to be low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is not widespread circulation in most communities in the United States, the CDC said.
Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness, according to the CDC. People who are at higher risk are encouraged to avoid crowds as much as possible, according to the CDC.
Based on what is currently known about this virus, spread from person to person happens most frequently among close contacts (within about 6 feet) via respiratory droplets, according to the CDC. Social distancing strategies increase the space between people and decrease the frequency of contact between them to reduce the risk of spreading the disease.
This is a dynamic, changing situation. COVID-19 is an emerging respiratory disease and there is more to learn about its transmission, clinical course and the populations at increased risk of disease and complications, according to the CDC. Everyone can do their part to help plan, prepare and respond to this emerging public health threat. The latest updates on COVID-19 can be found at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
