Escambia County COVID-19 Update #64

Updated at 3:45 p.m. April 22:
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.   

Baptist Health Care
To keep patients safe at home and reduce the risk of possible spread of COVID-19, Baptist Health Care now offers Baptist Telehealth, a virtual care platform that offers patients access to a private, secure video appointment and the opportunity to receive care in the comfort of their own homes. The primary care and urgent care providers and the specialists of Baptist Medical Group, Baptist Heart and Vascular Institute and Andrews Institute are now equipped to provide this platform to patients. Baptist physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are available for telehealth appointments.

Baptist Telehealth is the most comprehensive virtual health care platform of specialists in the region. Benefits for patients include:

• Excellent care delivered by local experts— physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.
• Accessible to patients in their homes to avoid unnecessary travel.
• Uninterrupted treatment of chronic disease.

To schedule a telehealth appointment, patients can visit eBaptistHealthCare.org to follow the simple online directions, call their Baptist Health Care provider or call 850-434-4080. When a telehealth appointment time is set, the patient will receive a Zoom meeting invitation along with instructions for the appointment by email.

While telehealth can provide a comprehensive appointment, some conditions are still best suited to be addressed in-person. Baptist providers can help patients navigate that path.

Escambia County  

• Did you miss the virtual 36th Coffee with Commissioner Jeff Bergosh this morning? The live stream took place from 6:30 - 7:30 a.m. Guests included Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley, Escambia County Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore and Mark Faulkner, CEO of Baptist Health Care. Watch it here.

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County 

• As of 2 p.m., April 22, Escambia County has had 418 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.
• The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Escambia County residents is 10 individuals.
• As of 1 p.m., April 22, there are 102 cases among residents or staff in long term care facilities. The Florida Department of Health has published the list of facilities here.
• To view demographics of cases in Escambia County, visit the COVID-19 dashboard and select Escambia County. The following case data will appear: age, gender, race, and ethnicity.
• 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.
• Use the COVID 19 testing self-checker to determine if you need to call your healthcare provider to be tested.
• Need extra support dealing with stress and coping during this time? Find a list of available resources at Escambiahealth.com.  

• Ascension Medical Group's drive through COVID-19 testing site will be closed Thursday, April 23. Testing will resume on Friday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To date, our COVID-19 testing team has swabbed more than 4,000 people who have symptoms of the illness and identified more than 200 people who have the virus. Interested persons who want to get tested for the virus must first call a designated call center first for a phone screening. The pre-screening call center can be reached at 850-746-2684. The call center will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Friday.
• Community Health Northwest Florida's drive-through and walk-up COVID-19 testing sites in Brownsville, Cantonment will be closed Thursday, April 23. The mobile testing unit will take place at Morris Court Friday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Brownsville Community Center and Cantonment sites will resume operations Monday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pre-screening is required for drive-through testing. Pre-screening is not required for walk-up testing. The pre-screening call center can be reached at 850-746-2684.