Escambia County COVID-19 Update #32

Updated at 4 p.m. April 2:
Please reference the prior updates and Escambia County COVID-19 Update #11 for a prior comprehensive running list. View an updated list of county closures and cancellations here. This update only includes new information we have received. Weekend updates will be distributed only when there is new information.  

City of Pensacola 

• Parks managed by the City of Pensacola remain open to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, but playgrounds and other shared equipment are closed to the public. Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and  the City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department is not disinfecting these frequently touched surfaces.
• Executive Order 20-91 issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, April 1 allows for essential activities, including recreational activities such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running or swimming. The "safer at home" order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, April 3 and expires on Monday, April 30, 2020, unless extended by subsequent order.
• As recreation and physical activity are essential for optimal health, the City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department encourages families to continue enjoying open spaces at any of the city's 93 parks. Park visitors should bring their own equipment such as a ball or Frisbee, and CDC guidelines should be followed to help stop the spread of COVID-19, including social/physical distancing. 
• The City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department has taken the following actions to protect the public:
• All drinking fountains at city parks have been turned off.
• The city's splash pad at Plaza de Luna is closed until further notice.
• For more information about City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation, visit playpensacola.com or like Play Pensacola Parks and Recreation on Facebook.
• To view a list of city parks and green spaces, visit playpensacola.com.

Escambia County  
Specimen Collection Data

*Note: 1 samples each in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties were not run by a lab.


*Note: Inpatient numbers only include those patients who were admitted. Samples collected in the Emergency Department for patients NOT admitted are included in the outpatient/ambulatory counts.   

Escambia County Parks and Recreation

• Parks managed by Escambia County remain open to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, but playgrounds, hard surfaces and other shared equipment should not be utilized by the public. Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Executive Order 20-91 issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, April 1 allows for essential activities, including recreational activities such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running or swimming. The "safer at home" order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, April 3 and expires on Monday, April 30, 2020, unless extended by subsequent order.
• As recreation and physical activity are essential for optimal health, the Escambia County Parks and Recreation Department encourages families to continue enjoying open spaces at any of the county's parks. Park visitors should bring their own equipment such as a ball or Frisbee, and CDC guidelines should be followed to help stop the spread of COVID-19, including social/physical distancing. 
• The Escambia County Parks and Recreation Department has taken the following actions to protect the public:
  • All drinking fountains at county parks have been turned off.
  • All public restrooms at county parks have been closed. 
• For more information about Escambia County Parks and Recreation, visit myescambia.com/our-services/parks-and-recreation.

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County

• As of 4 p.m., April 2, Escambia County has had 97 positive COVID-19 cases. This number is expected to change daily due to the return of results from ongoing testing. For the most up-to-date information regarding confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida, visit the COVID-19 dashboard. The site is currently updated twice daily.

• As a shortage of full face shields for healthcare workers grips the nation in the battle against COVID-19, the University of West Florida responded by asking one of the University’s direct support organizations to manufacture, manage and distribute 3D-printed full face shield supplies at its Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Laboratory in downtown Pensacola. The full face shields will be free of charge and distribution is set to begin on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. The goal is to make 60 per day, six days a week, for four weeks, resulting in approximately 1,440 shields per month. UWF Business Enterprises, Inc., a direct support organization of the University, is sponsoring the initiative and managing the manufacturing and distribution.
• Healthcare providers may request the shield kits by completing an online form and satisfying the conditions of acceptance. Priority may be given to local nonprofit healthcare providers serving at risk populations including the elderly, low income and the homeless. After completing a web request and signing a waiver, representatives from healthcare agencies may pick the face guard kits up at 4 p.m. each weekday at the Museum of Commerce.
• For more information on COVID-19, visit uwf.edu/coronavirus. For more information about UWF Sea3D, visit www.uwf.edu/sea3d