As of Wednesday, there are now more than 300 positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the State of Florida, including 13 in Collier County and 10 in Lee County.  There are now over 7,300 across the United States. Governor Ron DeSantis has called for more tests to be available in more locations throughout the state.

Today, Secretary Mary Mayhew of the Agency for Health Care Administration also informed the public that 19 nursing homes have suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. This is of great concern given the higher risk to the elderly population. 

Yesterday, the Governor issued an executive order aiming to reduce the spread of the virus. His order requires bars and night clubs to close for 30 days. In addition, restaurants must limit seating to 50 percent of its capacity in order to create space between groups of 10 or less. Also, beachgoers must be limited to groups of 10 or less and maintain space of six feet or more between gatherings. More information is below. 

For Florida-specific data and updated County-by-County data, view the Department of Health’s Data and Surveillance Dashboard here.

You may access the Florida Department of Health (DOH) Toolkit at: https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/.

For national updates, the White House has created the following website: coronavirus.gov.

Executive Order on Restaurants, Bars, Nightclubs, and Beaches

On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-68 to reduce density and crowds in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and beaches to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Bars and Nightclubs
All bars and nightclubs throughout Florida will close for the next 30 days. Information is available on the website of Florida’s Department of Business & Professional Management (DBPR) on how this requirement will be implemented and enforced.

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation(DBPR) differentiates between restaurants and these establishments as any licensee authorized to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises that derives more than 50 percent of its gross revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages shall suspend all sales of alcoholic beverages.

Restaurants
Restaurants across the state of Florida will now be required to limit customer entry to 50 percent of capacity.  Seating must be staggered and limited to ensure seated parties are separated by a distance of at least six feet, in accordance with CDC guidelines.  Restaurants are encouraged to remain open and expand take-out and delivery services.  Information is available on the website for DBPR. 

Per the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, restaurants must screen all employees and prohibit entry for employees who answer “yes” to any of the following questions:

•  Have you returned from international travel or been in contact with anyone who has returned from international travel within the past 14 days?
• Have you traveled on a cruise ship or been in contact with anyone who has returned from travel on a cruise ship within the past 14 days?
• Have you traveled through any airport within the past 14 days?
• Have you traveled to any area known to have high numbers of positive cases of COVID-19, including but not limited to California, Washington, New York, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., in the past 14 days?
• Have you been in any gathering of 50 people or more in the past 14 days?
• Have you experienced signs or symptoms of respiratory infection, such as cough, fever, shortness of breath or sore throat?

Beaches
The Governor is directing parties accessing public beaches in the state of Florida to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance by limiting their gatherings to no more than 10 persons.

Test Kits and State Mitigation Efforts

Florida has partnered with private laboratories around the state to expand COVID-19 laboratory testing capacity.  This partnership will increase the number of daily testing and ensure Floridians receive the critical health information they need in a timely manner.

Expansion to private laboratories changes the COVID-19 testing landscape in Florida.  Private laboratories will run tests as they receive swab samples from practitioners. As a result, testing and reporting times will vary among commercial and DOH laboratories.

The governor announced on Tuesday that Florida has ordered an additional 2,500 test kits to supplement the adequate resources already available to test for COVID-19.  These additional test kits will enable the DOH to work with health care providers and to test up to an additional 625,000 individuals. 

The state is also in the process of hiring additional epidemiologists from university health programs to help with the workload.

Mobile Testing
To help in areas where a large portion of positive cases have been located, a public-private partnership has been put in place between Memorial Healthcare in Broward and the National Guard to set up a mobile testing unit.

Three field hospitals are also in the process being deployed:

• One field hospital is currently staged in Orlando and can be deployed to other areas in the state as needed.
• One field hospital is on its way to be set-up in Broward County.
• One field hospital is on its way to Ocala to be staged and deployed to other areas as needed.

Mobile COVID-19 testing stations are also being implemented throughout the state as kits become more available. 

Updates on School Closures and Testing

K-12 Education 
On Tuesday, March 17, it was announced that, in order to keep students safe, all public schools in Florida will be closed through April 15, 2020. Virtual instruction should be provided in the interim.

In addition, all remaining assessments for school readiness, voluntary prekindergarten and K-12 will be canceled for the 2019-2020 school year. 

For students preparing for college, eligibility for Florida Bright Futures scholarships shall be based on available data and results.  Tests that were not available to be taken will not be counted.

End of course assessments and exams, requirements for graduation and promotion, and final course grades will be canceled and current grades will be evaluated as though those assessments did not exist.

To assist administrators and teachers, K-12 school grades will not be calculated for 2019-2020 and schools in turnaround may continue their current status for 2020-2021. 

Additionally, K-12 school districts are authorized to redirect unspent 2019-2020 funds from the Safe Schools and Mental Health allocations to virtual and telephonic mental health counseling services for students who need emotional support due to COVID-19.

Postsecondary Institutions  
It was also announced, Tuesday, March 17, that all public state and private college and university campuses will be closed for the remainder of the spring semester. 

The State University System has directed all state universities to continue remote instruction through the end of the spring semester.  All students who are able to return home have been strongly advised to do so.

The State University System has also directed that traditional on-campus commencement ceremonies will not be held in May.  Instead, each university is directed to develop an alternate schedule or method of delivery.

Call/Text 2-1-1 for Free Children’s Meals During COVID-19

Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have partnered with 2-1-1 to activate a text line and call center open 24/7, which families can contact to find free meals for children under 18 during the current COVID-19 school closures. This follows the Department’s recent activation of the Summer BreakSpot children’s meal locator website at SummerBreakSpot.FreshFromFlorida.com.

Floridians can now text FLKIDSMEALS to 211-211 to find their closest participating Summer BreakSpot location, and can also call 2-1-1 to speak with a live operator 24 hours a day for additional locations.

As of March 17, there are approximately 1,000 approved Summer BreakSpot sites statewide. The number of locations will continue to increase as FDACS approves additional BreakSpot locations. If no Summer BreakSpot locations are listed in a county during a given week, users should contact their local school district to determine if school meals will be available. Users should also contact locations listed on the Summer BreakSpot map, or provided by 2-1-1 text or phone operator, to confirm opening dates and times.

Local State of Emergency Declared

Collier County, the City of Naples and the City of Bonita Springs have declared local state of emergencies to encourage social-distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

City of Naples
Naples closed all public beaches within city limits beginning Wednesday through Monday,                       March 30.  This includes The Naples Pier, City beach accesses, beach restroom facilities, parking areas, Lowdermilk Park and walkways.

Collier County
Collier County has closed beach parking facilities until further notice. In addition, Collier Area Transit is discontinuing operation of the Beach Bus route 29 until further notice.  These actions are in keeping with CDC COVID-19 guidelines and the Governor’s Executive Order to limit large gatherings and encourage social distancing.

Lee County
County-owned beaches and the county-owned Fort Myers Beach Pier will close until further notice effective at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 19. This includes beach parking lots, restrooms and county-owned beach access points.

Learn more about these declarations here: 

• Collier County Updates on COVID-19 
• City of Naples Updates on COVID-19.
• City of Bonita Springs Updates on COVID-19

Travel Advisory

At this time, CDC recommends avoiding nonessential travel.

If you are returning from an area with an outbreak of COVID-19 the CDC recommends self-quarantine for 14 days immediately upon return from your travels, even if you are asymptomatic.

If you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath during those 14 days please contact your health care professional and mention your recent travel.

Your provider will work with your local County Health Department (CHD)to determine if  COVID-19 testing is necessary.

If you have had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from an impacted area, you should call a health care professional and mention your close contact and their recent travel.

For the most updated COVID-10 travel advisories, visit: U.S. Travel Advisories and CDC Information for Travel. 

Social Distancing

In areas where there are multiple cases of COVID-19, there is a concern about “community spread.”  Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.

This is why staying home, avoiding travel and crowds, and practicing social distancing is so important.  Although young people may not be in as much risk of death as individuals over 65, they can catch and spread the virus just as easily. 

The Symptoms & Spread of COVID-19

Symptoms of COVID-19 include: 

• Fever;
• Cough; and
• Shortness of breath.

Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure.  Most people
recover from COVID-19 without needing special treatment.

The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.

There is currently no FDA-approved vaccine to prevent COVID-19. However, trials for a vaccine began today.

COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes.  These droplets may land on objects and surfaces.  Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Preventative Measures to Protect You & Your Family

As there is no current FDA-approved vaccine at this time to prevent COVID-19, the best prevention method is to avoid being exposed to the virus,  and to avoid personal contact with others, especially our elderly population. 

Here are some everyday preventive actions to help impede the spread of respiratory diseases: 

• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;
• Staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with persons in poor health;
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then disposing of the tissue;
• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing;
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty; and
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Please note, the CDC does not recommend that asymptomatic, healthy people wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.  Facemasks should be used only by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.

Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.  The use of face masks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

For more prevention and treatment tips, please visit: 

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/

Lee Health Offering Telehealth Free of Charge

For a limited time, Lee Health is offering their TeleHealth services free of charge.  Lee TeleHealth is an on-demand medical service, in which you may receive care from the comfort of your own home.  You can use your mobile device to talk to a doctor today.

You can read more on their website:  https://www.leehealth.org/lee-telehealth

Reemployment Assistance

If your employment has been negatively impacted because of mitigation efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, you may be eligible to receive Reemployment Assistance.

Those who may be eligible for Reemployment Assistance include:

• Individuals who are quarantined by a medical professional or a government agency;
• Those who are laid off or sent home without pay for an extended period by their employer due to COVID-19 concerns; and
• Persons who are caring for an immediate family member who is diagnosed with COVID-19

Visit floridajobs.org and click on "Reemployment Assistance Service Center" to learn more about the program.

Attorney General Ashley Moody Activates Price Gouging Hotline

Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline for all consumers in the state.

At this time, essential commodities covered by Florida’s price gouging law under the COVID-19 state of emergency declaration include:

•  Protective mask;
•  Sanitizing and disinfecting supplies, such as hand sanitizer, gel, wipes, cleaning supplies for surface cleaning, and all commercial cleaning supplies; and
• All personal protective equipment (PPE), including gowns, gloves and other protective gear.

To call the Attorney General’s Price Gouging Hotline, dial: 1-866-966-7226

Resources for COVID-19 News

The Florida DOH remains the best and most up-to-date resource for information and guidance regarding COVID-19 in our state. 

Florida Department of Health (DOH)

• http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/COVID-19/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html

World Health Organization (WHO)

• https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/novel-coronavirus
• https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Key Contacts in Our Region

Florida Department of Health

• Phone: 850-245-4444
• Email: diseasecontrol@flhealth.gov
• Twitter: @HealthyFla

The Florida Department of Health is actively involved in enhanced surveillance for any respiratory illness that may be COVID-19.  For any questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact DOH's Call Center: 

• COVID-19 Call Center: 1-866-779-6121
• Email: COVID-19@flhealth.gov 

Please note the call center is available 24/7.

Epidemiologists will follow up on any suspected cases that meet criteria for COVID-19 to arrange for testing when needed and monitor contacts of any confirmed cases, if they occur. Epidemiologic consultation is available 24/7 through your local county health departments and Bureau of Epidemiology.

• Florida Bureau of Epidemiology: 850-245-4401

Local County Health Department Offices

Collier County 

• Immokalee Office: 239-252-7300
• Naples Main Office: 239-252-8200

Hendry County

• Clewiston: 863-983-1408
• LaBelle: 863-674-4041

Lee County 

• Main Office-Michigan Clinic: 239-332-9501
• Pondella Clinic: 239-461-6100 (for appointment)
• WIC-Bonita Springs: 239-344-2000 (for appointment)
• WIC (Lehigh Acres): 239-344-2000 (for appointment)

Emergency 

• Dial 911
• Emergency Hotline: 311 or 239-252-8444 
• City of Naples Emergency Services: 239-213-4844
• American Red Cross: 239-596-6868

I hope that this information serves as a useful platform for updates and resources as you continue to take caution and preventive measures to remain safe and healthy.  I will continue to keep my constituents updated as significant details arise.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance
 
Sincerely,

Kathleen C. Passidomo

Senate Majority Leader
State Senator, District 28

Not paid for at taxpayer expense.

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