Polk County's timeline: One year of COVID-19

March 1

• Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis declares state of emergency in Florida 

March 11 

• Florida: Florida Polytechnic, state university students told to go home for two weeks
• Polk: All Polk County schools to close for two weeks

March 12

• Florida: Gov. DeSantis calls for all mass gatherings to be cancelled, 90,000 state employees to telecommute 
• Polk: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk closes due to possible COVID-19 exposure

By the way, here is our year of COVID-19 stories:

• The lockdowns started with sports
• Pandemic forced everyone in education to adapt, overcome
• Education adjusted to a new reality
• Our year of COVID: 'All of us were bewildered' — decisions were grim and personal

March 13

• National: President Donald Trump declares COVID-19 a national emergency
• Polk: All Polk County schools to close for two weeks
• Lakeland:  Lakeland drafts pandemic response plan; Sun 'n Fun postpones annual expo until May

March 16

• Lakeland: Lakeland officials declare state of emergency over COVID-19

March 17  — Polk's first COVID-19 case is confirmed

• Polk: First COVID-19 case is 44-year-old female with no travel history; BayCare opens the county's first drive-thru test site in Haines City

March 18

• Polk:  Second confirmed case of COVID-19 in Polk County
• Winter Haven:  Winter Haven officials declare state of emergency 

March 20 

• Florida: DeSantis shuts down all onsite dining at restaurants 

March 21

• Polk: County closes 11 parks, environmental properties 

March 23

• Lakeland: City official close most parks, trails for at least one week

March 30

• Lakeland: City relaxes its park restrictions reopening trails, dog parks, tennis courts

March 31 — Polk's first COVID-19 death 

• Polk: First COVID-19 death in Polk reported for 60-year-old man 

April 1

• Florida: DeSantis' issues safer-at-home' orders effective April 3
• Lakeland: City of Lakeland reverses course and closes all parks.

April 20 — Polk's first nursing home outbreak 

• Polk: Highland Lake Center sends at least 35 residents to Lakeland hospital 

April 29

• Florida: DeSantis declares Phase 1 of statewide reopening for May 4

May 7 

• Polk:  Brandwyne Health Care Center site of second nursing home outbreak

May 26 - COVID-19 recovery center opens

• Polk: Lakeland center becomes one of state's first COVID-19 isolation sites

May 30

• Polk: County soars past 1,000 COVID-19 cases 

July 2

• Lakeland:City implements face mask mandate 

July 27

• Winter Haven: City adopts face mask mandate 

Aug. 18

• Lake Wales: City adopts face mask mandate 

Aug. 24

• Polk: County schools reopen with in-person, remote learning

Sept. 25

• Florida: DeSantis lifts all business restrictions, reopens economy

Dec. 17

• Polk: Five county hospitals among first to receive the Moderna vaccine 

Dec. 22

• Polk: Winter Haven Hospital receives its first shipment of Moderna vaccine

2021

Jan. 4 

• Polk: County gets 500 vaccine signups on first day despite phone woes

Jan. 8

• Polk: County launches COVID vaccine hotline, quickly overwhelmed 

Jan. 12

• Polk: Health department hosts county's first vaccination drive-thru clinic

Jan. 14

• Polk: County launches COVID-19 vaccination portal for online signups

Jan. 19

• Lakeland: City urges mask use through April 15 due to rising cases

March 5

• Polk: Polk County Sheriff's Office hosts state's first vaccine clinic for law enforcement over age 50

March 10

• Polk: First mega POD vaccinates 4,000 in Lakeland 

March 13

• Polk: First vaccination clinic held for Polk teachers age 50 and older