The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners voted to temporarily close public beaches (sound side and Gulf side, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key) effective midnight tonight until the next Board of County Commission meeting on April 2. This action will be reevaluated at that time. This includes public beach areas, public beach access ways and public beachfront parks. Boat ramps, the fishing pier and the Bob Sikes fishing bridge will remain open to the public.
"This is not a decision we made lightly," said District 4 County Commissioner Robert Bender. "Escambia County medical professionals strongly urged us to make this decision for the protection of the public's health and prevent the spread of COVID-19. We hope this temporary closure will allow us to resume normalcy more quickly and have a great summer. I hope we can reopen the public beaches as soon as possible."
In other discussions, Escambia County will be immediately following Executive Order 20-71 issued today, Friday, March 20, by Gov. Ron DeSantis, directing all restaurants and food establishments within the state of Florida to suspend on-premises food and alcohol consumption for customers. The executive order also requires the closures of gymnasiums and fitness centers in the state of Florida.
The executive order goes into effect immediately and includes the following:
- Alcohol: All vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises must suspend the sale of alcoholic beverages by the drink or in sealed containers for consumption on the premises. Such vendors may continue to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for consumption off premises.
- Restaurants: All restaurants and food establishments licensed under Chapters 500 and 509, Florida Statues, within the state of Florida must suspend on-premises food consumption for customers. Such establishments may operate their kitchens for the purpose of providing delivery or take-out services.
- Fitness centers: Gymnasiums and fitness centers within the state of Florida must close. This order shall not apply to gymnasiums and fitness centers which are: (i) amenities of hotels which have a capacity of 10 persons or less, (ii) are an amenity of a residential building, (iii) are interior to any fire or police stations or (iv) are located inside any single-occupant office building.
Read the governor's executive order here.