Below you'll find a number of updates and resources associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  The most important advice from federal and state officials is for seniors over the age of 65 to stay at home.  This is the population at greatest risk, and we want to make sure Floridians stay healthy and are safe from possible exposure. 

The state's Emergency Operations Center has been activated to Level One, and the Florida National Guard is mobilized to support health care workers with testing and caring for patients who are in need.  The Florida Department of Health has ordered supplies to assist in response to this outbreak, and the agency hired an additional 100 epidemiologists. 

Florida Senate Takes Proactive Steps to Address COVID-19

The public health and safety of all Floridians remain the top priority in the Florida Senate.

The Florida Senate is working diligently with the Florida House of Representatives and Governor Ron DeSantis to ensure the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM) have the funding and resources necessary to address the COVID-19 in Florida.

The Florida Senate has agreed to direct millions of dollars in state funding to respond to COVID-19 and its impact on Floridians.  Funds will be used to address the most pressing needs, which may include: laboratory supplies and personal protective equipment; additional statewide staff to expand investigations and monitor individuals with COVID-19 and those at risk of contraction; and enhanced communication to the general public, healthcare providers and visitors of our state.

Visit www.FloridaHealth.gov/COVID-19 to find more information and updates on COVID-19 in Florida.

Local State of Emergency Declared

Both Collier County and the City of Naples have declared local state of emergencies to encourage social-distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19.  The City of Bonita Springs is expected to vote on an emergency declaration on Tuesday, March 17.  Learn more about these declarations here: 

• Collier County Updates on COVID-19 
• City of Naples Press Conference, March 16, 2020
• City of Bonita Springs Agenda, March 17, 2020

Florida Department of Health Launches COVID-19 Case Dashboard

On Monday, March 16, the Florida DOH launched the COVID-19 Case Dashboard to help keep Florida residents and visitors safe and receive status updates about the virus twice daily.

As of noon Monday, March 16, there are 155 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Florida. Of the total cases, 137 of the cases are in Florida residents and 18 cases have been found in non-Florida residents.

 For more details on Florida resident cases, please visit the live DOH Dashboard here. 

State of Florida Issues Update on COVID-19

On Sunday, March 15, Governor DeSantis held a briefing at the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and announced the following:

• 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.
• The Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears is in coordination with DOH to begin issuing social distancing guidance to Florida's restaurants and bars.
• The Governor sent a letter to the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) to start the SBA loan program for small businesses.
• Per the governor's request, the Department of Management Services (DMS) Secretary Jonathan Satter to allow state employees to donate and transfer their available leave time to other state employees to mitigate the impacts of school closures. 

Gov. DeSantis also provided updates on the state efforts and response to COVID-19: 

• The Governor has requested that Health and Human Services send the 61 Floridians, previously aboard the Grand Princess Cruise line,  home from isolation at the Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia.
• The DOH has been directed to hire additional epidemiologists from university health programs to help with patient care and testing.
• The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will grant a 90-day extension to all licenses for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, health care providers and regulated facilities.
• Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Director Jared Moskowitz received orders to expand emergency order and prohibit all visitation for the next 30 days to: 
  • Nursing homes;
  • Assisted living facilities;
  • Adult family-care homes;
  • Long-term care facilities; and
  • Adult group homes.
• The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has suspended drivers’ license renewal requirements for 30 days.
• All other agencies will also suspend licensing and registration renewal requirements for existing professional licenses (e.g. realtors) for 30 days. 

On Monday, March 9, Gov. DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52, declaring a State of Emergency for COVID-19.  The Governor declared a State of Emergency to ensure that state and local governments have the resources and flexibility they need to prepare and respond.   

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory illness that can spread among humans through respiratory transmission and presents with symptoms similar to those of influenza. 

The World Health Organization has now declared COVID-19 as an official pandemic.

The Symptoms & Spread of COVID-19, Explained

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.

Be Prepared: 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/

Take Care of Yourself: What To Do if You Feel Sick or Traveled Recently

A person that experiences fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and any other destination under CDC travel advisory should call ahead to their health care provider and local County Health Department (CHD) and mention their recent travel or close contact.

If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, they should also call ahead to a health care professional and the CHD.

Your health care provider will work with the Department to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19.  Please refer to "Key Contacts in Our Region" at the bottom of this newsletter to find your local CHD office.

CDC Directive Recommends Practicing Social Distancing from Large Events

Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities.  Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings and other types of assemblies.  These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.

Spring Break & Remote Learning for Florida Students

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) provided strong recommendations to extend spring break following CDC's issuing guidance to COVID-19 in Florida.  The department sent updated guidance to school districts and superintendents ahead of spring break. 

Click here to see the recommended spring break changes. 

The State University System will continue to work with DOH and EOC to determine the effectiveness of remote learning and if the initial two weeks is sufficient to protect our students and the university community.  Effective immediately, all universities will make plans to transition to remote instruction as soon as possible.

State universities with students who have returned from spring break should implement a process to transition to remote instruction immediately and encourage students to return home for at least 2 weeks.  This includes:

• Florida Gulf Coast University;
• Florida International University;
• Florida Polytechnic University; and
• The University of Florida.

State universities with students who are currently on spring break or about to be on break should direct their students to NOT return to campus for at least 2 weeks following the conclusion of spring break.  This includes:

• Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University;
• Florida Atlantic University;
• Florida State University;
• New College of Florida;
• The University of North Florida;
• The University of Central Florida;
• The University of South Florida; and
• The University of West Florida.

Each university will provide detailed information to their students, faculty, and staff at the earliest possible time regarding this transition.

All universities will continue to provide essential services, such as dining, counseling, health services, library services, etc., potentially on a limited basis or remotely.  Each university with clinical and other non-classroom based programs will communicate directly with those students.

Governor Ron DeSantis Activates Emergency Bridge Loan Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The bridge loan program, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), will provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury from COVID-19. The application period opens tomorrow, March 17, 2020 and runs through May 8, 2020.

DEO will administer the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program in partnership with the Florida SBDC Network and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation to provide cash flow to businesses economically impacted by COVID-19. The short-term, interest-free loans help bridge the gap between the time the economic impact occurred and when a business secures other financial resources, including payment of insurance claims or longer-term Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. Up to $50 million has been allocated for the program.

Small business owners with two to 100 employees located in Florida affected by COVID-19 can apply for short-term loans up to $50,000. These loans are interest-free for up to one year and are designed to bridge the gap to either federal SBA loans or commercially available loans. DEO will work with every borrower to ensure that repayment of the loan isn’t an overwhelming burden. To be eligible, a business must have been established prior to March 9, 2020 and demonstrate economic impacts as a result of COVID-19.

DEO is currently surveying businesses throughout the state of Florida who have been impacted by COVID-19. Businesses and non-profits can access the Business Damage Assessment survey at FloridaDisaster.BIZ Select “COVID-19” from the drop-down menu on the survey page. Response to the Business Damage Assessment survey is not an application for assistance. Businesses interested in the bridge loan program must fill out a bridge loan application. 

For more information on the program, visit www.floridadisasterloan.org.

For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan Program, contact the Florida Small Business Development Center Network at 866-737-7232 or email Disaster@FloridaSBDC.org.  

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Feeding Florida’s Students During School Closures

The Summer Food Service Program, also known as Summer BreakSpot, provides free meals to children under 18 while school is out.  Commissioner Nikki Fried announced that federal waivers have been approved giving FDACS authority to offer local school districts flexibility in providing school meals to students during this closure. 

In the 2018-19 school year, Florida’s schools served 286,734,316 school lunches, of which 245,782,422 were free or reduced lunches.  These schools served 2,908,335 Florida students, of which 2,089,852 were students receiving free or reduced lunches. 

FDACS is the state agency that funds Florida’s school lunch program, through $1.3 billion in federal funding.

Floridians can visit SummerBreakSpot.FreshFromFlorida.com, enter their address and search up to 50 miles to find participating free meal locations near them.

Visit Naples Daily News for local coverage on where to find kids' meals in Collier County. 

Resources for COVID-19 News in Florida

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 resource for you as you take caution and continue to prepare and take preventive measures to remain safe and healthy.  I will continue to relay information 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

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