Escambia County COVID-19 Update #79

Updated at 11:45 a.m. May 1:
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

• Elective Surgeries to Resume May 4
  Following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Phase I: Safe. Smart. Step‐by‐Step Plan for Florida’s Recovery Executive Order, Baptist Health Care will resume elective surgeries beginning May 4. With a continued diligent watch over COVID‐19 developments, Baptist is reopening these services in a phased and structured approach to ensure the highest level of safety and care. Baptist will continue to adhere to state and federal requirements regarding patient care and will continue to implement all CDC guidance and protocols to ensure the safety of those we serve, our team members, and the community. Baptist will continue to implement social distancing, universal masking and screening of all patients and visitors. Physician offices are reaching out directly to patients whose procedures were postponed due to the order to suspend services that was issued in March. Patients visiting a Baptist facility are encouraged to bring and wear masks. Our teams look forward to welcoming back patients into our care and will take every precaution to ensure safety.

COVID‐19 Symptom Update

• People with COVID‐19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2‐14 days after exposure to the virus. The CDC has updated its list of symptoms, adding six new possible indicators. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID‐19:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Or at least two of these symptoms:
• Fever
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

Escambia County 

• At the request of the Governor’s office, the direction of the Florida Department of Emergency Management with the support of the Florida Department of Health, Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties are pleased to announce a new mobile testing site at the University of West Florida that will open to the public on Saturday, May 2 at 9 a.m. The drive-through test site will be located at the SP2 parking lot, which is on the east side of campus, near the East Sports Complex. Individuals are asked to remain in their vehicles, and pre-screening is not required. The testing site will be open Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for two weeks.

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County 

• On Monday, April 27, 2020, the Florida National Guardsmen (FLNG) deployed to Escambia County to support Florida’s response to COVID-19. These Ambulance Strike Teams assisted in specimen collection efforts in long-term care facilities in Escambia County. Media questions relating to the FLNG and this response should be directed to [email protected] or 850-815-4940.
• As of 11:45 a.m., May 1, Escambia County has had 532 positive COVID-19 cases. This number is expected to change daily due to the return of results from ongoing testing. The best source for up-to-date information regarding confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida is the Florida Department of Health website and the associated Data and Surveillance Dashboard and Daily Report. The site is currently updated once daily, at around 3 p.m. ET.
• The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Escambia County residents is 12 individuals.
• The Florida Department of Health (the Department) announced that the list of long-term care facilities in Florida associated with COVID-19 cases will now include active cases in each facility in order to provide real-time data. The list of long-term care facilities with active COVID-19 cases is available here.
• The Department is providing a report detailing surveillance data for every Florida county. Previously, this information was only available for select communities. The surveillance data report is available 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.
• 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. 

• Governor Ron DeSantis will hold a press conference regarding COVID-19 at the Escambia County testing site at the University of West Florida, Softball Complex, 11000 University Parkway, at 1 p.m. Friday, May 1. All credentialed media are welcome to attend.