Escambia County COVID-19 Update #48

Updated at 11:15 a.m. April 13:
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 does not contain new information.

Escambia County 

• Escambia County Emergency Management’s role in the COVID-19 public health incident is to manage and provide resources to our health care partners. They communicate their needs to us, and we compile the information and submit resource requests to the State. We accept shipments and donations of supplies and then manage disbursements based on the requests.
• The State Surgeon General is the responsible party for long-term care and nursing home facilities information disclosure related to COVID-19. For related inquiries, please contact the FDOH State Communications Office in Tallahassee at [email protected].

• Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley provided this quote on Thursday, April 9, “We empathize with the families and friends who have loved ones in our nursing home facilities within the county and have concerns about their health and exposure. At this time, we have been advised by the Florida Department of Health that disclosure to the public regarding long-term care and nursing home facilities affected by COVID-19 remains in the hands of the state surgeon general. The county continues to work alongside the Florida Department of Health, the lead agency for a public health incident. Since the beginning of this pandemic, we have communicated with them to release whatever information they can, but we also understand there are privacy laws in which they must follow. We strongly encourage nursing homes to work with the state surgeon general to publicly disclose if there have been positive COVID-19 cases in their facility in the Escambia county community. We believe it is in the public’s best interest for the facilities be as transparent as possible within the extent of the state and federal laws."

• We have opened up a new child nutrition site, starting this morning, Monday, April 13. Escambia Christian School, 3311 W. Moreno St., will be serving meals to children 18 and under from 9 a.m. to noon daily. 
• Today we are serving 1,565 meals and 1,325 snacks in Escambia County.

Weekly Mobile Pantry Distributions 

• 4/14 - Cantonment Improvement Committee at 8 a.m.
• 208 Webb St. Cantonment
• 4/14 - Anew Warrington at 8 a.m.
• 7911 Kershaw Ave. Pensacola
• 4/17 - Perdido Bay UMC at 3:30 p.m.
• 13660 Innerarity Point Road

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County 

• As of 11 a.m., April 13, Escambia County has had 235 positive COVID-19 cases. Currently there are 28 cases among residents or staff in long term care facilities. These numbers are 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.
• Use the COVID-19 testing self-checker to determine if you need to call your healthcare provider to be tested.
• The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Escambia County is 3.
• Florida residents are encouraged to do their part in helping Florida flatten the curve by anonymously answering questions that range from age and residency, to recent travel, to potential COVID-19 contact. The StrongerThanC-19 community action survey is designed to gather information to help the Department track and slow the spread of COVID-19 in Florida; it is not a symptom checker designed to dispense medical advice. The StrongerThanC-19 community action survey is free to use and can be accessed by visiting: www.StrongerThanC19.com.
• Need extra support dealing with stress and coping during this time? Find a list of available resources at Escambiahealth.com.
• Guidelines on making and wearing cloth face coverings can be found at CDC.gov.