Surge In COVID Cases Postpones Reception Events Following St. Pete Mayoral Inauguration

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — St. Petersburg Mayor-elect Ken Welch has postponed a few upcoming events related to the mayoral inauguration because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, a city news release said.

Welch said Wednesday that the community reception scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 6 in Williams Park following the mayoral inauguration will be postponed along with the mayor and city council reception planned for Jan. 8 at the Dali Museum.

The mayoral inauguration for Jan. 6 when Welch is to be sworn in as the city's 54th mayor outside city hall will still take place. Those attending the inauguration who are not vaccinated are asked to wear a mask and follow all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, according to the city.

“St. Petersburg has led through this pandemic with compassion, discipline and resilience," Welch said. "However, as we see COVID-19 cases spike throughout our community, we must continue to make the responsible choices that protect each other. Out of an abundance of caution, we will postpone these events till such time that we can safely celebrate together.”

Patch will keep you updated when the future dates of the postponed events are released.