Beaches emergency officials are struggling to combat the deadly effects of the rising COVID-19 pandemic. It is a public health crisis that is sweeping the nation, and Florida ranks among the country’s highest number of positive cases. Patients no longer fit a specific profile as transmission of the virus has shifted from an older, medically-vulnerable population to a younger demographic with no preexisting conditions. Now in its fourth month, positive cases continue to climb and health experts warn statistically, many will know someone with the virus. Many will also experience it themselves.
On June 26, Marguerite McKinney of Jacksonville Beach noticed the first signs of a sore throat. No swollen glands or difficulty swallowing, just a mild irritation. With her business as a personal home professional, she helps clean and care for local families. When her throat felt scratchy, she attributed it to exposure to cleaning products. She felt worse the following day, but air advisories warned of poor conditions as the Sahara dust cloud made its way from Africa to the Beaches.
Fearing a sinus infection, she went to the emergency room where she was treated for sinusitis. McKinney had previously received two vaccinations for the flu and pneumonia; one round in September and another March 13, just before the novel coronavirus took hold.
“Because I do not have a spleen, my doctors did it as precautionary measure,” she said, noting that medical staff swabbed her nose for COVID-19. She went home to await the test results. It came back positive.
“I did not think that I had the virus,” said McKinney from her hospital bed at Baptist Medical Center Beach where she was recently readmitted for a second time. “The next morning, I was called by Beaches Baptist Emergency Room and told that I had COVID-19. They explained if I had a fever or shortness of breath, or feel bad, for me to come back into to the ER.”
McKinney returned to the ER July 1 and was admitted for observation. She stayed overnight in the hospital’s critical care unit. She was released the following morning and prescribed a cocktail of butalbital, acetaminophen, hydrocodone, ascorbic acid, melatonin, dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, Robitussin and zinc sulfate. Discharge diagnosis: Hypoxia, a lack of oxygen in the body’s tissues.
“I still was not feeling well,” she said. “I was told to go home and isolate by myself.”
Once home, McKinney continued to experience intense symptoms much different from the flu and completely unresponsive to any remedies. Unable to find any measure of relief, her fever kept getting higher. She was vomiting profusely and had difficulty maintaining her balance. She struggled to breathe.
“That is when I realized something was wrong,” she said. “My friends insisted I return [July 5].”
Now receiving her second round of treatment, McKinney is out of the Critical Care Unit (CCU) but she is not out of the woods. She is finally able to hold food down, but on 24-hour oxygen and still extremely weak. Right now, she is not sure when she will be cleared to go home. No one she had contact with has tested positive.
“It’s much calmer. I am not dehydrated, and they are taking very good care of me and they don’t seem quite as hurried. It’s much more relaxed and I feel safer. Before, everything was hurried and very chaotic,” said McKinney of the CCU.
“I’ve never seen a doctor’s or nurse’s face look so perplexed, as if they’re just baffled on what is happening and how can they can stop it,” she recalled. “They are overwhelmed and they are still showing compassion [and] doing their jobs proficiently and patiently.”
McKinney is turning to her faith to quiet her fears and give her the strength to get through the darkest moments. The restrictions against visitors has allowed her to rest and focus on healing.
“I feel more peaceful. The overwhelming response of all my friends’ outpouring of love and encouragement fills my heart with peace,” she said. "I am a woman of God and I trust and believe in him. He is who makes me strong. The people that do not have faith are terrified. They are depressed and discouraged.”
Still, she wishes she had been more cautious, and urges people to heed the mandate and wear masks in public places.
“I did everything that I was supposed to do; washed my hands, I social distanced. I wore the mask. But when they said everything was lifted and the bars and restaurants were open, I took into consideration that these are our city officials and they are protecting us, so I stopped wearing the mask and just acted like everything was fine again,” warned McKinney. “I am disappointed in myself for not continuing to take precautions.”
June 15, 2026
