This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
Located in Central Florida, The Villages is a massive retirement community that has been a hotspot for COVID-19 cases. For months, residents went about their lives as if the virus barely existed, playing bridge, holding dances, and attending house parties in souped-up golf carts.
However, as cases spike across Florida, the virus has finally caught up with the residents of The Villages. Since the beginning of July, hospital admissions of residents from The Villages have quadrupled at University of Florida Health The Villages, with 29 residents admitted with the virus as of last week, according to Dr. Anil Gogineni, a pulmonologist and critical care doctor.
Sumter County, where most of The Villages is concentrated, has seen a significant increase in cases, from 68 in the first week of June to over 270 last week, according to the county's health department.
Despite the surge in cases, many residents are still reluctant to take precautions, with some continuing to socialize without masks. However, some steps have been taken to help slow infections, including smaller crowds around the community's buildings and fountains, closed theaters, and a ban on bands playing.
Residents are now facing a new reality, with some taking precautions and others continuing to socialize without masks. As one resident, Jim Lomonaco, 67, said, 'I'm not pushing my luck but I'm not overly concerned. If it's here, it's here by now — we don't have walls.'
