March 30th Wakulla EOC COVID-19 SITREP

Wakulla County EOC COVID-19 SITREP from late evening March 30th

Situation Summary:
On February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, COVID-19. On March 11, 2020 COVID-19 was declared a pandemic outbreak.
Wakulla County Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Health in Wakulla County are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating appropriately with all county agencies and key partners. The Florida Department of Health is the lead agency for this public health emergency and Wakulla County Emergency Management serves in support or our local health experts.

To view the Florida Department Health website COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard use the following link;
https://experience.arcgis.com/…/96dd742462124fa0b38ddedb9b2…

Local Testing Summary:
Currently, we have 1 Wakulla county residents that has tested Positive for COVID-19. This is a fluid situation, so we ask that you continue to follow the Social Distancing and other guidelines as provided by the Department of Health for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.

TOTAL TESTS: 45
Negative: 44
Positive: 1
Pending: 0

Proclamations/Declarations:

03/01/2020 Governor’s Declaration of Public Health Emergency (Executive Order 20-51).
03/09/2020 Governor’s Declaration of State of Emergency (Executive Order 20-52)
03/13/2020 President Trump issued federal disaster declaration pursuant to Section 501(b) of the Stafford Act.
03/14/2020 State EOC moved from Partial Activation to Full Activation with 24 hour a day staffing.
03/25/2020 President Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Florida.

Government Services and Protective Actions:

The Wakulla Senior Citizen Center will be preparing lunches for all seniors enrolled in the lunch program. To obtain a lunch, seniors must call Alissa at 850-888-1020 or Marquise at 850-888-1023 by 9am each day. The transportation system will continue its service for medical and other essential services.

Department of Health in Wakulla is using road signs to communicate preparedness measures to the public.

Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office Updates:
Effective Friday March 20,2020, The front lobby of the Sheriff’s Office will be closed to visitors, those needing assistance will need to call communications at 850-745-7100
The Wakulla County Communications/9-1-1 Division now has a list of questions for all calls requesting a first responder be dispatched. This helps to ensure that first responders can prepare accordingly to protect themselves and our citizens.
Effective March 20, 2020, Sexual Offenders, Sexual Predators, Career Offenders and felons participating in their legislatively mandated registrations at the WCSO Annex Building by CID personnel will do so under new procedures. Offenders updating registration information will provide the required documentation to CID personnel through the glass partition in the front lobby. CID personnel will electronically update the FDLE database, print items for signature, and the offenders will sign the documents in the lobby (CID will override the electronic signature in the FDLE database). The only offenders to pass into the restricted area of the CID office space will be those required to be fingerprinted, and only then by a CID employee equipped with a facemask and gloves.

Effective Tuesday 03/24/2020 The WCSO firing range will be closed to the public until further notice.

The WCSO Citizens Academy has been postponed until further notice.

Wakulla County Jail Updates:
Effective March 19, 2020 New intake procedures have been put in place to screen all arrestees brought into the facility.
Effective March 19, 2020 the facility will not accept any Immigration detainees until further notice as a precautionary measure
Effective March 19, 2020 Visitation will be closed until further notice.
Effective March 18, 2020 all Wakulla County Jail Volunteer programs will be cancelled until further notice:
1. Substance Abuse/ Drug Abuse.
2. AA/NA
3. Religious Services, (Volunteers Only)
4. Domestic Violence.

Wakulla County BOCC Updates:
In response to COVID-19 and with State and Federal guidance, the following proactive measures are being taken by the BOCC Offices:
 All BOCC Offices will be closed “To the Public” as of Friday, March 20th until further notice. Offices will continue to be staffed; therefore, if you have a need, please contact our offices for assistance (visit www.mywakulla.com for a telephone directory);
 All BOCC Meetings have been cancelled until further notice (this includes Regular Board Meetings, Planning Commission, Code Enforcement, and Advisory Committees);
 All Library Programs have been cancelled until further notice;
 The Library will be closed to the public as of Thursday, March 19th until further notice; however, will be allowing curbside pickup. Please call the Library at 926-7415 or email at wcpl@wakullalibrary.org for procedures;
 All Recreation Programs at Medart Recreation Park have been cancelled until further notice;
 All County Parks remain open to the public at this time.
 All County Beaches (Shell Point & Mashes Sands) will officially close until further notice starting at sundown on 3/23/2020

The Wakulla County Courthouse updates:
The 2nd Judicial Circuit Chief Judge has issued AO 2020-03 "Close Non-Essential and Non-Critical Court Operations"
Effective at 5 pm March 18, 2020, the Wakulla County Courthouse is closed for general public access. Parties needing to file emergency petitions and file in essential court case activities are allowed to file necessary documents. These will be reviewed by a duty judge. Hearings are not being held in most cases and in others are held electronically. No jury trials or public dockets are scheduled. Please call the Wakulla County Clerk’s office for general information and to ask questions at 926-0300
Passport applications are not being accepted until further notice. Marriage licenses will be issued to Wakulla residents only and by appointment only (conducted through glass window). For filing documents in official records, call the Clerk’s Office to schedule dropping off your official records via a drop box.

Wakulla County Schools Updates:
Wakulla School District began student meal distribution 03/23/2020. Emphasis on meal delivery to bus stops by school buses was placed to ensure more of our students will receive meals. You will also be able to pick up meals at the student drop off location at Wakulla High School. This will happen between the hours of 9:30-11:00 am.

The quarantine period for Public School closure in Florida is extended until May 1st at this time. We will continue to provide meals and are working on additional instructional materials and online materials for our students to cover the extra 2 weeks added to the closure period.

The Wakulla County Community Center will be closed to all activities until further notice.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection has closed all state parks effective 3/23/2020 until further notice. This affects Wakulla Springs State Park in Wakulla County.

Updates from Governor DeSantis:
The Governor is directing parties accessing public beaches in the state of Florida to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance by limiting their gatherings to no more than 10 persons.
Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The bridge loan program will provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury from COVID-19. The application period opens March 17, 2020 and runs through May 8, 2020. More information can be found at https://floridadisasterloan.org/.
The Governor has requested the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) make the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program available for Florida’s small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) stands ready to assist Florida’s small businesses in accessing this funding when available.

Updates from Governor DeSantis: (Continued)
The Business Damage Assessment survey has been activated to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Florida’s local business operations. The survey, managed by DEO, will evaluate businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy so actions to implement appropriate relief programs can begin. The survey can be taken online at https://floridadisaster.biz/.
Governor DeSantis directed all agencies to suspend for 30 days licensing and registration renewal requirements for existing professional licenses.
Effective 03/17/2020 all Florida Universities will continue conducting online/remote learning until the end of the spring semester.
03/20/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-69 suspending any Florida Statutes that requires a quorum to be present in person or requires a local government body to meet at a specific public placed. Local Government bodies may utilize communications media technology. Such as telephonic and video conferencing, as provided in section 120.54(5)(b)2 Florida Statutes.
03/20/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-71, directing all restaurants and food establishments within the State of Florida to suspend on-premises food and alcohol consumption for customers. The listed establishments may, however, operate their kitchens for the purpose of providing delivery or take-out services.
Additionally, the Executive Order requires the closures of gymnasiums and fitness centers within the State of Florida. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) shall utilize its authorities under Florida law to further implement and enforce the provisions of this Executive Order and shall take additional measures as necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

Updates from Governor DeSantis: (Continued)
03/20/20, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-72, regarding non-essential elective medical procedures. All hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, office surgery centers, dental, orthodontic and endodontic offices, and other health care practitioners’ offices in the state of Florida are prohibited from providing any medically unnecessary, non-urgent or non-emergency procedure or surgery which, if delayed, does not place a patients immediate health, safety or wellbeing at risk, or will, if delayed, not contribute to the worsening of a serious or life-threatening medical condition.
On 3/22/20 Governor Ron DeSantis sent a letter to President Trump requesting a Major Disaster Declaration for the activation of certain Individual Assistance Programs to include: Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Community Disaster Loans, and Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Program (D-SNAP).
On 3/23/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-80 directing all persons whose point of departure originates from outside the State of Florida in an area with substantial community spread, to include the New York Tri-State Area (Connecticut, New Jersey and New York), and entering the State of Florida through airports to isolate or quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into the State of Florida or the duration of the person’s presence in the State of Florida, whichever is shorter.
On 3/26/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-72, regarding State Employee’s State Group Insurance, for HMO and PPO, waiving fees for telehealth visits and influenza vaccination.
On 3/27/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-86, directing all persons who enter the State of Florida from an area with substantial community spread, to include the State of Louisiana, inclusive of those entering the State of Florida by roadways, to isolate or quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into the State of Florida or the duration of the person’s presence in the State of Florida, whichever is shorter.

Updates from Governor DeSantis: (Continued)

On 3/27/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-87, ordering all parties engaged in rental of vacation rental properties to suspend vacation rental operations. Vacation rentals are prohibited from making new reservations or bookings and shall not accept new guests for check-in for the duration of this order.
03/27/20 Executive Order 20-09 has been enacted to reflect direction from Governor DeSantis, the Florida Department of Health and the CDC. Effective immediately, all recreational boats must be at least 50 feet apart. Each recreational vessel must not have more than 10 people on board.

03/30/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-88 regarding re-employment of essential personnel.

03/30/20 Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-89 regarding public access restrictions in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County and Monroe County.

County Closures and Cancellations:

• The Wakulla Wonderful Celebration has been postponed
• Household Hazardous Waste Day scheduled for March 28, 2020 has been cancelled.
• All Grand Jury Proceedings, jury selection proceedings, and all criminal and civil trials for the period March 16th-March 27th have been suspended.
• Wakulla Students will not return from spring break until April 15th.
• Eden Springs Nursing home has restricted all visitations to their facility to those critical to operations as of March 11, 2020.
• Wakulla county Recreation Department activities, leagues and programs have been suspended until March 30th April 16th.
• Wakulla 4-H suspended In-Person Programs through April 30, 2020.
• UF/IFAS Extension Wakulla County Office is postponing all group related activities. This includes Master Gardener classes, annual plant sale, 4-H club meetings, cooking classes and other events through April 30,2020
• The Wakulla Senior Center will be closed to all congregate meals and activities until further notice.
• 20th Annual Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin Festival has been postponed until 2021.
• Wakulla Chamber of Commerce 10th annual Low Country Boil scheduled for April 4th has been postponed.
• Wakulla Chamber of Commerce has cancelled the Networking lunch scheduled for March and April.
• Wakulla Chamber will be rescheduling ribbon cuttings and Business after Hours events.

For Further Information:

General Assistance: Wakulla County Division of Emergency Management (850) 745-7100

Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners (850) 926-0919

Wakulla Senior Center: (850) 926-7145
For Meals contact before 9:00 AM:
Alissa at 850-888-1020
Marquise at 850-888-1023

Wakulla County Department of Health: (850) 926-0400

Message to Public:

We continue to ask that you also take the following precautions to protect yourself, your employees, and your community:

• Avoid mass gatherings and follow the Social Distancing guidelines.
• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.
• Follow your agency’s Standard Operating Guidelines (SOG) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for PPE use, Infection Control, Infectious Exposure, and Respiratory Protection.