Longboat Key re-establishes COVID-19 precautions at town facilities

Longboat Key has reimplemented many of its COVID-19 restrictions to start the new year with the recent spread of the Omicron variant.

The policies took effect on Monday.

“We’ve tried to be flexible based on the actual circumstances when we’ve made decisions about precautions and restrictions, and we watch the data in a number of different ways,” Town Manager Tom Harmer said.

Harmer sent an email to the Town Commission on Sunday. It stated the state’s COVID-19 positivity rate is at about 26.5% from Dec. 27 - Jan. 2. In the same timespan, Harmer’s email stated Sarasota County’s positivity rate is about 16.5% and Manatee County’s is 18.2%.

“When that gets below 10%, that’s a good sign,” Harmer said. “When it gets below 5%, we feel safer that there’s not as much infection out there. There is some concerning news about how infectious this variant is, but there’s also some more positive news in that it appears, at least at this point, to be a less severe impact."

The town is asking for anyone unvaccinated to wear a mask at all times while indoors at Longboat Key facilities. Masks are required indoors for all visitors in common areas and when they can’t social distance. The town is also providing masks for anyone who needs one.

“Gators/buffs do not qualify, as they do not provide the necessary protection,” Harmer wrote in an email.

However, anyone attending a public meeting like a Town Commission meeting may remove their mask once seated and social distancing of at least six feet is established. The town is also listing the number of seats available in the Town Commission chambers.

Longboat Key’s revised COVID-19 precautions on Monday mark the first time since mid-October 2021 where the town has required masks inside its facilities.

Longboat Key is also reimplementing its temperature stations and temperature checks for all visitors into town buildings. Anyone with a fever will be asked to leave.

“Over this past week, we’ve been strategically planning to reimplement some of those same precautions we had in place from the Delta variant, so that’s what we did,” Harmer said.

Harmer said the reason to reimplement the town’s COVID precautions was to keep town employees, residents and visitors safe.

Longboat Key’s Public Tennis Center will require masks inside the pro shop and restrooms. Indoor use of Bayfront Park is also limiting classes to 20 participants or less. Any planned outdoor events will require a safety plan. 

The town encourages the public to continue to do business by using technology, phones, email, the town’s website, drop boxes or scheduling a meeting with staff in advance if an in-person meeting is necessary.

Harmer said the town plans to re-evaluate whether to continue to COVID-19 precautions in two weeks.

“That’s kind of been our historical practice is we we monitor on it almost on a daily basis, but the data generally is available weekly now,” Harmer said. “And, so we look at that on a weekly basis and we want to look at it to get enough of a trend to see what’s happening.”

The town is also encouraging people to get vaccinated and booster shots.

In July 2021, the state provided Longboat Key with data that showed the town’s residents had a vaccination rate near 100%. It’s unknown how many Longboat Key residents have received booster shots.

Harmer said the town is still planning to hold its seven-session Citizens Academy, but will monitor conditions. The town is scheduled to hold its annual Citizens Academy on a weekly basis from Jan. 12 to Feb. 23.

The Longboat Key Town Commission is set to meet next on Jan. 10.