Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 Bucs: Tampa Bay closing in on elusive playoff berth /B1 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 68 Seasonably cool LOW with partly sunny skies. 41 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com DECEMBER 22, 2020 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community 50¢ VOL. 126 ISSUE 75 NEWS BRIEFS Opioid deaths up sharply Citrus COVID-19 update Data for other neighboring and is a reflection of opi- According to the Flor- Rapid increase appears linked to pandemic counties was not available oid overdoses. in the report. ida Department of Health, In 2019, Citrus County FRED HIERS Florida, and the rising During the same period in For the 2020 year to date, Sheriff ’s Office deputies 65 positive cases were Staff writer number of deaths due to 2020, the county’s over- Citrus County reported 56 used Naloxone 58 times to reported in Citrus County opioids and other drugs is dose deaths climbed to 32, overdoses, up 107% from 27 try and counteract opioid since the latest update. At least 220 people in a testament. an increase of 256%. in 2019, according to the re- overdoses. As of the early One new hospitalization Citrus County have died Overdoses and deaths Neighboring counties to port. That gave Citrus part of December 2020, was reported; four new from the coronavirus, but have increased signifi- Citrus saw similar over- County an overdose rate of deputies have utilized it deaths were reported. there is a death toll linked cantly as the pandemic has dose trends. 37.42 per 100,000 residents, 126 times. That doesn’t in- To date in the county, to the pandemic that goes dragged on, according to a Marion County saw a leaving Citrus with the clude the number of times 6,050 people have tested mostly unreported. study recently released by 106% increase from 31 sixth-highest overdose rate it was used by other emer- positive (including 37 The COVID-19 quaran- Orlando-based Project cases to 64 cases during the in Florida. gency workers, friends or non-residents), 483 have tine and economic fallout Opioid. March-June time frame; Citrus County’s use of family of those who been hospitalized and also hit hard those with In 2019, between March Hernando County’s over- Naloxone, often better overdosed. 224 have died. drug addictions in Citrus and June, Citrus County dose deaths increased from known by its brand name County, and across had nine overdose deaths. nine to 28, a 211% increase. Narcan, has skyrocketed, See OPIOID/Page A2 Health Dept., testing site to close for holiday Breakfast time In observance of the holiday, the Florida De- partment of Health in Cit- rus County (DOH-Citrus) will be closed Thursday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 25. The COVID-19 testing site at the Citrus Springs Community Center will be closed Friday, Dec. 25. DOH-Citrus and the test- ing site will reopen at its regularly scheduled times on Monday, Dec. 28. DOH-Citrus reminds the public that while the clinic and testing site will be closed, case investiga- tions and contact tracing will continue through the holidays and on weekends. Residents are urged to work with the health de- partment to slow the spread of COVID-19 this holiday season by: I Celebrating at home with people who live with you. I Wearing a mask that covers both the mouth and nose when you are around other people. I Staying at least 6 feet (about 2 arm JEFF BRYAN/Chronicle lengths) away from other This American bald eagle prepares to take flight with its early morning breakfast recently in the Meadowcrest subdivision. Primary prey of people. eagles in Florida includes various fish and waterfowl species. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, prey from I Washing your hands one study in north-central Florida was composed of 78% fish (mostly catfish, especially brown bullhead), 17% birds (mainly American coot), often with soap and water 3% mammals, and 1% amphibians and reptiles combined. for at least 20 seconds. I Answering the call from 352-527-0068 and following self-isolation and quarantine guidance. As a reminder, Poll: Virus has most feeling less festive COVID-19 testing is of- fered to the first 150 in- TAMMY WEBBER AND dividuals from 7:30 to HANNAH FINGERHUT 10 a.m. Monday, Associated Press Virus cases Wednesday and Friday at the Citrus Springs WASHINGTON — Maureen Community Center, Brennan will spend Christmas 1570 W. Citrus Springs with her daughter at their pass 6,000 Blvd. Testing is provided Nashua, New Hampshire, home at no cost to adults and after declining invitations from children 12 and older, other relatives to celebrate with with or without symp- them. Michael Smith will mark in Citrus the holidays alone in Elko, Ne- toms. No appointment vada, unwilling to risk being in- needed. Please bring a fected with the coronavirus First vaccinations photo ID and plan to before he can be vaccinated. stay in your vehicle the Neither feels overly festive this entire time. holiday season, reflecting the given in county Chronicle mood of many Americans as a year marred by a national health BUSTER THOMPSON spreads crisis and teetering economy ends Associated Press Staff writer holiday cheer with the coronavirus pandemic In this Nov. 25 file photo, a lone rail traveler waits in the Grand Hall of still raging out of control. That’s Chicago’s Union Station the day before Thanksgiving. According to a As COVID-19 cases sur- Join the Citrus County according to a survey from The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research passed 6,000 in Citrus County Chronicle as it brings you Associated Press-NORC Center that also finds some Americans are feeling a bit sadder, lonelier and less this past week, the first local virtual presentations of for Public Affairs Research that grateful than last year. inoculations against the conta- gious respiratory disease were beloved Christmas sto- also finds some Americans are Just 22% of Americans say they Americans’ mental health. also given out. ries. Readings will be at feeling a bit sadder, lonelier and feel very or extremely festive this About 4 in 10 Americans are According to a Florida De- 7 p.m. Wednesday, less grateful than last year. year, down from 49% one year ago. still intensely worried that they or partment of Health (FDOH) re- Dec. 23. Smith, 69, said he usually Those who do feel festive tend to a family member will be infected, port from Monday, Dec. 21, 15 This is a free event and spends Christmas alone, but the be those least worried about the with roughly three-quarters at people in the county were pandemic has been especially dif- virus. least somewhat concerned. The is open to everyone. given the first of two vaccina- ficult because he likes to frequent Holidays are always a stressful coronavirus vaccine has capped Each night we will read a tion doses for the novel corona- local coffee shops and chat with time, “but now people are feeling the year with a glimmer of hope, different book and stream virus since the state first began friends and neighbors. The Carib- really, really worn down because but the poll found only about half it on the Chronicle Face- its distribution plan Monday, bean cruise he looks forward to this has been going on for so of Americans are ready to get vac- book page. Dec. 14, injecting 43,716 doses every year, which would have set long,” said Dr. Karestan Koenen, cinated immediately, with the rest As a special treat, you so far. sail on Jan. 3, was canceled. a professor of psychiatric epide- unsure or uninterested. The poll can pick up a free copy of FDOH officials also reported So he’s mostly been staying miology at the Harvard School of was conducted shortly before the each book and follow 480 more COVID-19 infections home, fearful of what could hap- Public Health. “Some people are Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was au- within the county since Dec. 14, along with the reading. pen if he contracted the virus, be- suffering financially, and stimulus thorized for emergency use. at an average 69 cases a day, in- The books are available cause of a monthlong checks are running out.” Overall, half of Americans say creasing the case count to 6,050. at: Grand Living at Citrus hospitalization for pneumonia The pandemic — which has they’re at least somewhat lonely Hospitalizations for the virus Hills, Suncoast Dermatol- five years ago. driven health care systems to the this holiday season, up from 41% went up 25 to a total 483, and ogy & Skin Surgery Cen- “I’m stressed that I can’t just get brink, thrown millions out of work last year. Fifty-two percent say five more people died, totaling ter and Suncoast Credit in my car and go someplace,” said and killed more than 310,000 in they’re at least somewhat sad, 224 deaths. Union in Crystal River Smith, who fills his time by put- the U.S. — is casting a long compared to 44% last year. tering on his tractor and doing shadow, with research showing and Inverness. See VIRUS/Page A7 — From staff reports chores around his property. that it has taken a toll on See POLL/Page A9 Classifieds . .B5 Crossword . .B8 INDEX Health . A13, A14 Obituaries . A6 Comics . .B4 Editorial. A11 Lottery Numbers . .B5 TV Listings. .B3 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Lottery Payouts . .B5 A2 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020 CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE or alcohol addiction prob- lem as a result of the coro- Around the COUNTY OPIOID navirus pandemic.