Jacksonville City Council member Kevin Carrico, who went to an emergency room with the COVID-19 virus, will complete a 14-day quarantine Feb. 9 but will attend next week’s Council meeting virtually “out of an abundance of caution.”
The District 4 Council member said in a Feb. 4 email he will resume in-person work for the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida, where he is vice president of operations, and Council on Feb. 10.
Carrico is the fifth Council member to test positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March.
Carrico said his experience will allow him to “empathize with those who are infected.”
“I have always placed public safety as priority number one when voting on local issues at the City Council. I want to encourage the residents of our community to continue to wear masks and to socially distance,” Carrico said. “We can slow this virus down by working together.”
Carrico said he tested positive Jan. 26 after developing a nasal drip, sore throat and change in taste.
On Jan. 28 he went to an emergency room.
“My symptoms took a rapid decline,” Carrico said. “I received some fluids and was prescribed rest and more hydration and returned home the same evening. By Sunday I felt like I was out of the woods and improving until I woke up Monday morning unable to get out of bed and suffering from nausea.
“Tuesday was the true turning point for me. Other than fatigue and slight headache, I started feeling better,” he said.
Carrico posted publicly about his diagnosis on social media.
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 Carrico’s predecessor, former District 4 representative Scott Wilson, contracted the virus.
Carrico replaced Wilson in December After Wilson submitted his intent to resign in April to run for Duval County Clerk of Court.
Council member Aaron Bowman tested positive for the virus Dec. 20 and returned to his Council duties Jan. 4.
“I also want to thank the hundreds of people who called, text, sent meals, and prayers my way and of course my Wife Shawnelle for her constant care and patience,” Carrico said in an email. “I owe her a spa treatment for sure.”
