ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Night of Lights lawsuit is known to bring thousands of radical to downtown St. Augustine, and connected Christmas Eve, the crowds were large.
Right earlier sunset, we met Hayfra Rukab and her family, who were waiting successful a agelong enactment to get into church.
“Usually, it’s similar this each year,” she recalled.
Dave Apperton was besides waiting successful a agelong enactment that extended down the artifact to get into Harry’s Seafood, Bar & Grille -- a fashionable downtown restaurant.
“We been successful enactment astir an hour. Maybe 45 minutes,” helium told us.
“I’m vaccinated. I spot everybody does the close thing, truthful I’m truly not concerned,” Apperton added.
On Friday, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention added 31,758 infections to its caseload. It broke a grounds for the astir cases successful a azygous time since the commencement of the pandemic successful March 2020.
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RELATED: Florida breaks grounds with 31,758 caller COVID-19 cases reported by CDC
“We’re vaccinated. We precocious got boosted and we’re extracurricular trying to signifier societal distancing, so, I consciousness safe,” Daira Hall said.
“Take the precautions and support yourself and the radical astir you,” Gina Armenteros told us.
The FDOH reported 111,990 archetypal doses of vaccine were administered past week. That’s the highest fig reported by the wellness section since mid-September. A full of 8,710,670 radical person been afloat vaccinated successful Florida.
“If this was thing you were disquieted astir past possibly enactment inside. Stay home. For me, this is the close spot to be,” Cheltie Smith said.
Most of the radical we spoke with Friday nighttime said it’s important for them to get retired with their families and bask the holiday.
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“It’s conscionable astonishing to beryllium retired successful nationalist and spot this galore people,” Kate Vivenzio said.
“I don’t privation to beryllium wrong and fto these memories spell to waste. So present I am. We’re enjoying this,” Gabbie Armenteros said.
Cherie and Edward Fletcher are from Atlanta, Georgia, and they came to St. Augustine to observe their 27th anniversary. The mates is afloat vaccinated against COVID and this was their archetypal clip successful St. Augustine for Nights of Lights. Both brought their masks.
“It’s harmless to support the disguise on. Even though you got the shot, you should inactive usage the mask,” Edward Fletcher said.
“I don’t privation to instrumentality immoderate chances astatine all. I want to bask and not beryllium unopen up successful the house, but I’m taking precautions,” Cherie Fletcher told us.
Then we met Janice Smith who is visiting from Indianapolis. She’s a afloat vaccinated grandma who got bushed of staying astatine location and missing retired connected spending clip with relatives present successful Florida.
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“I did that for a twelvemonth and, so, no,” Janice Smith said. “I volition instrumentality my accidental due to the fact that I miss my grandbabies and everybody.”
Then we met Theresa O’Kelly, Patty and Patrick Mulcare. They’re each visiting from Alaska. And they’re paying adjacent attraction to reports astir the omicron variant.
“The biggest happening is to beryllium astute astir it and we person been,” Patrick Mulcare said. “Outside, I deliberation we are okay.”
The omicron variant is said to beryllium much contagious than the delta variant, but aboriginal information suggests it’s little terrible and much radical are staying retired of the hospital.
The Duval County Health Department enactment retired 4 recommendations for residents, particularly arsenic radical stitchery for the holidays:
Vaccinate: Get vaccinated earlier gathering, attending events oregon traveling. Get a booster erstwhile eligible. Layer extortion with a flu shot.
Test: Get a COVID-19 trial earlier joining gatherings with others who are not successful your household and earlier and aft traveling, careless of your vaccine status.
Mask: Wear a disguise indoors successful public, adjacent if you are vaccinated.
Prevent: Continue rigorous manus washing and see avoiding ample crowds.
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