ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Including Friday, the last three days have marked the three highest single-day increases of COVID-19 cases reported in St. Johns County.
Despite the pandemic, the Nights of Lights event in St. Augustine brought out hundreds of people Friday night. Some choose not to wear a mask inside the square.
“It’s a little disappointing to see not everyone follows that,” said Antonio Miragaya, who attended the event.
The Nation’s Oldest City is keeping the tradition alive despite the rising COVID-19 cases in the county.
“Being that it’s been such a chaotic year, a rollercoaster for most people, it’s nice for everybody to relax and get this opportunity, come out masks off and enjoy the lights,” said Jared Godreau, who attended the event.
On Wednesday, the county set a new record of 155 new reported cases. Then Thursday set a new record -- hitting 171 newly reported cases.
On Friday, the state Department of Health reported 157 new cases in the county. It brings the county’s total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 11,025.
“I think it’s important to social distance,” Godreau said. “We wear our masks where it’s necessary and I think being out here we don’t necessarily need it.”
After the record-breaking days, the county announced the Flagler Health COVID-19 testing site will close Wednesday, Dec. 30 to start planning for vaccine distribution.
If you have a doctor’s note, you can still be tested there and at other sites in the county.
Most of the people News4Jax spoke with Friday night said they weren’t sure if that was the best way to go about it.
“It’s best to know who’s infected so that we can all take precautions and try to avoid being around those people, and if you’re cutting down testing, I mean, there’s no way for me to know that you may be infected or I may be infected,” Miragaya said.
The state testing site at Regency Square Mall in Jacksonville will stay open.