3 Manatee County churches have outbreaks of COVID-19. Officials won’t say which ones
At least three churches in Manatee County have been linked to COVID-19 outbreaks, according to the county’s top health official.
Speaking with the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday morning, Dr. Jennifer Bencie, with the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, confirmed the recent cases after the county’s recent removal of mask requirements in houses of worship.
“In terms of those religious institutions that no longer have masks, we have seen three already with outbreaks,” Bencie told the board.
Reached for comment Tuesday afternoon, a DOH-Manatee spokesman declined to provide information about which churches are currently part of an infection outbreak investigation, citing Florida Statute 381.0031.
“Florida statute prevents disclosure of specific information related to epidemiological investigations,” said Christopher Tittel, DOH-Manatee’s communications director.
The statute refers to keeping epidemiological reports confidential. They are made public “only when necessary to public health.”
In many cases, local schools, grocery stores and restaurants have publicly disclosed cases of COVID-19 in their buildings, while DOH-Manatee has refused to specify which churches were affected in the recent outbreaks.
According to Bencie, DOH-Manatee is following the standard procedure for COVID-19-positive patients by working to identify individuals who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus.
“Those individuals are then notified by their county health department and instructed to self-isolate for 14 days after their exposure to the virus, and to contact their county health department and health care provider immediately if they develop symptoms,” Tittel said in a prepared statement.
“Epidemiology has three churches with individuals who are positive, and they’re not related, so there is an issue of concern there,” Bencie explained, noting that the cases could be an example of community spread.
While Bencie declined to name the three churches, she noted that there were six cases at the first church, seven cases at the second church and eight cases at the third church — 21 cases overall.
“Some are friends of those members who only saw them at the church, so, for that reason, the belief is that the church was the common place where the disease was transmitted,” Bencie said.
News of the church-related outbreaks came as a shock to commissioners, who voted Aug. 25 to exempt churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship from the COVID-19 mask mandate after a Palmetto pastor launched a lawsuit against the policy.
“That’s a concern,” Commissioner Betsy Benac said. “I still believe that churches, if they’re going to be in person, they should mandate masks. That’s the only thing that makes sense. We know that masks help. We know that social distancing helps.”
“When I wear a mask, I protect all of those around me from me, in case I have the virus. Personal responsibility does not protect the community,” Commissioner Misty Servia added. “We have to all wear masks. We’re seeing now that we have to wear masks, even in churches, to support our community and our businesses.”
Bencie also urged the board to keep promoting the use of masks, which have had a positive impact on the number of new cases being reported throughout the county.
“We want to do everything we can to prevent the public from getting something that we just don’t know enough about,” she said.
Despite learning of the outbreaks at local churches, commissioners voted 6-1 Tuesday afternoon to finalize a resolution that exempts houses of worship from the COVID-19 mask mandate that applies to other public spaces like businesses and other areas where social distancing is not possible. Servia cast the dissenting vote.
Commissioner Vanessa Baugh, who has consistently voted against the mask mandate, said she didn’t support enforcing any rules inside of a church, and shared that her own church is taking the pandemic seriously.
“Every other pew is roped off. They do require masks when you walk in there. It’s a requirement. It’s not voluntary. They have the right, just as every business owner does, to decide what goes on,” Baugh explained. “The bottom line is, the theme is, if you don’t feel comfortable, don’t go.”
This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 4:02 PM.
