Following the ease of the lockdown restrictions in USA, a group of 15 friends have contracted the life-threatening coronavirus after meeting up for a drink for the first time after the lockdown.
Erika Crisp, 40, who lives in Florida, US, fell ill after going for a drink with friends at a bar ten days ago. So far, 10 of her friends have tested positive with four more waiting for their test results.
She said she was suffering from the ‘classic’ symptoms including shortness of breath before she got her positive test result.
Erika identified where and when she caught the virus, pinning it down to Lynch’s Irish Pub in Jacksonville Beach, on June 6. She has been sick for well over a week after showing symptoms just three days after the bar visit.
According to local reports, a number of other customers who drank at the bar have also tested positive for Covid-19 with the premises being shut down again for a deep clean.
Seven out of 49 staff members have also been confirmed to have the deadly virus. At least six bars in northern and central Florida have been shut within a week of reopening due to a second spike in coronavirus cases, which peaked on Sunday.
The state’s health department has since confirmed two consecutive days with more than 2,000 new cases, breaking records set when the pandemic began in March.
Florida’s second reopening phase allowed bars, cinemas and tattoo shops to welcome customers with some restrictions, under governor Ron DeSantis’ reopening plan.
Erika told News4Jax she had stuck closely to social distancing rules and stayed inside for months ‘doing everything the right way’ before falling ill on her first night out.
She said: ‘I think we were careless and we went out into a public place when we should not have and we were not wearing masks.
‘I think we had a whole “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. The state opens back up and said everybody was fine, so we took advantage of that.’ She added: ‘We should be wearing masks. We should be social distancing. It was too soon to open everything back up.’
Erika, who is a healthcare worker, posted a warning to friends on Facebook to stay ‘cautious’ of the virus even if lockdown is eased.
She wrote: ‘Out of my group alone, 10 of us are now confirmed positive. 4 more tests are pending. Other groups are reporting they too were at this particular place on this particular weekend. And no, we did NOT bar hop. ‘It was the ONLY bar my group of people went to & it was the only time I saw them. Symptoms can appear anywhere from 2-14 days after contact. Everyone is different.
‘Again, I should have known better. I should have been more cautious. But alas, it is what it is. I have it, my friends have it, we can give you that info & you can do with it what you will.’
Florida is one of of 22 US states where daily coronavirus cases are rising. The state governor, Ron DeSantis, an ally of President Donald Trump, has continued to downplay the severity of the spread.
