2:27 am UTC May. 16, 2021 Debbie Wertz, DeSoto County Chamber of Commerce Reliable internet access used to be more of a want than a need. But especially after COVID-19, we realize that it is a lifeline. Quote icon Just a few weeks after the first COVID-19 case was discovered in Florida – early in March, 2020 – the state began to realize that reliable access to the digital world has become a necessity. Education, health care, employment, social services and many other aspects of our lives moved online – all things we suddenly needed more than ever. But in order to have effective digital access, people need three equally important tools: a reliable broadband connection, the right technology and digital literacy.