Vice Mayor Rodriguez, wife recovering from COVID-19

Miami Lakes Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez and his wife Lisa
Rodriguez are recovering from the coronavirus after they tested positive in early June for COVID-19.
The couple -- he is a firefighter/paramedic in Coral Gables, and she is a nurse -- stayed at home until their health improved.
“As soon as that happened, we went into self-isolation,” Rodriguez said on June 15. “Staying in our rooms and wearing masks if I needed anything in the house. The most important thing for me was to make sure my family is healthy.”
Rodriguez was the first town council member to test positive for the upper respiratory disease,
Clarisell De Cardenas, communications director for the town, said June 17.
Rodriguez, 52, announced June 15 on Facebook that he had contracted the highly contagious virus.
He and his wife were awaiting two negative test results before they could return to work.
On June 26, he posted on Facebook, “We’re feeling great, just waiting for my retest date.”
Rodriguez has served on the town council since 2012 and is term-limited this year.
He’s in the middle of a campaign, along with fellow Republican candidate Thomas Fabricio, to try and unseat State Rep. Cindy Polo, D-Miramar, in November.
Rodriguez said he decided to post a Facebook video about his illness after residents asked why they hadn’t seen him at town events.
Rodriguez said he woke up one morning with a headache that was similar to a sinus infection and light body pain, which prompted the couple to get tested.
Their symptoms were not severe enough for them to be hospitalized, he said then.
“No shortness of breath and no fever,” he said. “Luckily, we have had very little and light symptoms.”
Rodriguez said he reached out to people who he may have come in contact with and urged them to get tested.
Rodriguez had a message for residents.
“I suggest you follow CDC guidelines and wear your masks and do social distancing,” he said. “As a public official and health care responder, it’s been an interesting experience for me.”
Miami Lakers sent good wishes to the couple on social media.
The number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Florida.
On June 28, there were 141,075 cases of the virus in the state and 3,419 deaths, the Florida Department of Health said.
In Miami-Dade County, there were 33,714 cases and 953 deaths.
Miami Lakes had 127 cases.