Escambia County COVID-19 Update #65

Updated at 10:30 a.m. April 23:
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.    

Escambia County  

(A hi-res version of this image is attached at the bottom of the press release. Please note the change in negative test results. This number provided by FDOH is now only Escambia County collected and negative).

• As of  10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 22, Escambia County area hospitals reported 220 total ventilators with 169 available, and 1,315 total beds with 496 available.

• The Escambia County EOC has established a business, industry and economic stabilization COVID-19 reset working group that will provide the business community with current, relevant information and resources to assist them in their recovery efforts. 
• Check out the third installment of our virtual story time. Join us as Shawn Hoopaugh, paramedic supervisor with Escambia County EMS, reads "The Don't Worry Book" by Todd Parr.

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County 

• As of 10 a.m., April 23, Escambia County has had 419 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 9 a.m., April 23, there are 138 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.  

• Pensacola’s Collier Merrill was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to his Reopen Florida Executive Task Force and the Industry Working Group on Tourism, Construction, Real Estate, Recreation, Retail, and Transportation. Collier Merrill, President of Merrill Land Company and President of Great Southern Restaurants. "I applaud Governor DeSantis for his great leadership, support, and guidance during these unprecedented times. As a proud member of FRLA, I am grateful for the association’s excellent job of providing us with resources, advocacy, and constant communication. At Great Southern Restaurants, our main focus is aligned directly with the Governor and FRLA – safety for our employees and the guests we serve as we get back to business. It is so impressive to see all Floridians working together during this difficult time and I look forward to Florida’s renaissance.”
• As a part of the #WorkSmart During COVID-19 Webinar Series, Manpower is equipping you with the most critical, up-to-date labor facts and employer considerations so you can make the best short- and long-term decisions for your organization and navigate your workforce through these evolving times. Webinar details: Thursday, April 23, 2020, 1 p.m. CST | 45 minutes. Register here. 
• Webinar will include: 
  • The current employment landscape, unemployment figures and impacted industries and regions
  • Competitive pay to attract and retain workers
  • Driving factors beyond compensation vital to your workforce success and real-world examples of how companies are prioritizing front line workers today

Testing Site Closures Due to Severe Weather Today

• Ascension Medical Group's drive through COVID-19 testing site will be closed today, 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 today, 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.