Jacksonville City Council member Aaron Bowman said he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Bowman is the fourth Council member to report contracting the virus since the pandemic began in March.
The past Council president and retired commanding officer of Naval Station Mayport said in a phone interview Dec. 21 he tested positive for the virus Dec. 20 after experiencing a high fever the night before.
Bowman said his fever is gone but he still is having minor symptoms and reduced energy.
“We never hear about the cases that aren’t catastrophic or serious,” Bowman said. “I hope I’m one of those.”
Bowman will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols and quarantine for the next 10 days before returning to City Hall.
The District 3 Council member’s condition was reported first Dec. 21 by The Florida Times-Union.
Council is on its 2020 holiday break and is not scheduled to meet again until committees reconvene Jan. 4.
About 21% of the 19-member Council has contracted COVID-19. According to Bowman, several executive assistants who work at City Hall, including his aide, have had to quarantine because of exposure.
Council Vice President Sam Newby was treated in March at St. Vincent’s Hospital after testing positive and is the only Jacksonville lawmaker to be hospitalized with the virus.
In August, District 14 Council member Randy DeFoor tested positive. Council President Tommy Hazouri canceled two weeks of meetings in early November after former District 4 representative Scott Wilson contracted the virus.
Bowman says there have not been adequate precautions in Council offices, including plexiglass desk shields, to protect staff members.
“I’m appalled how lackadaisical the response has been from our Council president and Council secretary,” he said.
After Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order that required local governments to have an in-person quorum for public meetings by Nov. 1, Council Secretary Cheryl Brown instituted reduced seating, increased cleaning and social-distancing measures in Council chambers.
Brown also had plexiglass shields installed between members’ seats on the Council dais. Staff sanitizes the public microphone between speakers.
Bowman did not link his diagnosis with being at City Hall.