Page 10 - Boca Exposure - January '21

Page 10, Boca Exposure
From The Desk Of Palm Beach County

Vice Mayor Robert S. Weinroth: 2020 Recap

Robert Weinroth, a former coronavirus case in a resident of Washington State who Probably the most important news of 2020 is the
member of the Boca Raton had recently returned from Wuhan, China. COVID-19 vaccine. There is finally hope on the horizon
City Council, was elected From there, the virus moved rapidly, and the World with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations already
as a Palm Beach County Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health taking place and others expected shortly. The process of
Commissioner to replace emergency by the end of January. By mid-March, a eradicating the virus and ending the pandemic has begun.
Steven Abrams, who pandemic was declared because of its worldwide spread. It is also important to acknowledge the true heroes
retired due to term limits Due to the need for isolation, routine activities were of 2020 – our frontline workers and first responders.
requirements. suspended to help “flatten the curve” of infections. Thank you to all of them for risking their lives providing
The new year is a time Schools and businesses were shuttered, recreational essential services to our community.
for resolutions and new activities ceased, and everyone (except essential workers) I would also like to extend gratitude to the county’s
beginnings. In ordinary were asked to stay home. emergency managers and staff for their dedication and
years, we would reminisce The impact of “hitting the pause button” on our lives commitment. They have worked tirelessly during the
about what transpired during the year, while contemplating continues to reverberate throughout our community, past year in mitigating the virus while keeping our local
our hopes and dreams for the new year. largely because so many jobs were lost. economy working and providing resources to those in
However, 2020 has not been an ordinary year. The challenge of putting food on the table, paying rent need.
It was Jan. 21, 2020, that the Center for Disease or making mortgage payments has become overwhelming Post-pandemic, we will be a stronger community for
and Control (CDC) confirmed the first United States for many who were self-sufficient, resulting in despair having weathered this storm, together!
and depression for many. COVID-19 Vaccine: What we know: As of this
We can take pride in the mobilization of the many writing, the following is a brief update on the initial phase
Council Corner: volunteers who helped make the pain bearable for the most of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Palm Beach County.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management and
vulnerable among us. Almost immediately, community
the Florida Department of Health are handling the vaccine
volunteers stepped up! Food drives and feeding sites opened,
Best Reason In social media campaigns for assistance were plentiful, and Phase 1a rollout that includes the following:

• All vaccines will be given free of charge.
many other initiatives were established to help those in need.
• Hospital health care workers – Palm Beach County

In late March, the federal government approved
The World To the Coronavirus Act Relief and Economic Security hospitals began receiving deliveries of the vaccine the
week of Dec. 21. These vaccines are for the hospital
(CARES) Act. Over $2 trillion was earmarked to address
medical personnel and other hospital staff.
the economic and social impacts of the pandemic and
Miss The Game! included steps to mitigate the spread. and Walgreens are the exclusive providers of vaccinations
• Nursing homes and long-term care facilities – CVS
The CARES Act provided an infusion of funding into

the unemployment system, forgivable loans to businesses at these facilities. Facilities in the county have been
predicated on their retention of their employees, and contacted, and vaccinations started the week of Dec. 21.
By Boca Raton City individual stimulus checks. • Frontline medical personnel, fire-rescue, other
Councilman Andy Palm Beach County received approximately $260 healthcare workers. The county’s health department
Thomson, who was million in CARES Act funds to be used for pandemic- began vaccinating these worker populations with priority
first elected during the related expenses. Allocations included testing sites, food for those who administer the vaccines. As additional doses
special City Council supplies, small businesses, broadband infrastructure, and are received, the county will prioritize law enforcement
election in 2018, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Additionally, funds and other critical workers. This is a rapidly developing
re-elected without were provided to the health department, school system, effort with new information coming each day from the
opposition to the municipalities, cultural and nonprofit organizations. state. We will provide updates as they become available.
Council.
One privilege (of
many) that we enjoy
in Boca Raton is being
the host of a college football bowl game. First played
in 2014, the Boca Raton Bowl has become an annual
December tradition that puts our beautiful city in the
college football postseason spotlight.
The 2020 version was different, of course. Due to
COVID-19, the crowd at FAU Stadium was limited to
20 percent capacity, meaning that only 6,000 fans could
attend. Social distancing, masks, and other precautions
were required. The teams – the University of Central
Florida Knights and Brigham Young University
Cougars – spent only a couple of days in town.
Nevertheless, the game was excellent. The
matchup between in-state UCF and highly-ranked
BYU was one of the best in the game’s history.
BYU started strong and prevailed 49-23. And the
game was excellent for Boca Raton, which was
prominently featured in the primetime broadcast
on ESPN to millions of viewers, including several
commercials touting the benefits of relocating
corporate headquarters to Boca.
I’m fortunate to have some experience with bowl
games. In college, I played in two while at Georgia
Tech. One was in Boise, Idaho (played on their unique
blue turf) and the second was in Orlando. In both cases,
we spent several days in each city, got to know the
host communities, visited local landmarks, and were
treated to wonderful hospitality. The bowl experience
for participants creates lasting memories that stick with
players for decades; they sure did for me.
I wasn’t able to attend the Boca Raton Bowl this
year. My wife gave birth to our son, Andrew Joseph
Thomson, last week, and with Baby Andy only days
old, I needed to be home. But, thanks to ESPN, we
were still able to watch Boca Raton shine forth in the
national spotlight once again.