Bay County – COVID-19 Update

Panama City, Florida — Bay County is responding to COVID-19. In an effort to keep Bay County residents and visitors safe and aware regarding the status of the virus, the Bay County Joint Information Center will issue daily updates. The Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that will be updated twice daily. Today, as of 5 p.m., there is one case of COVID-19 in Bay County.

Yesterday, Bay County received confirmation of its first positive case of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. The person ill with the virus is a 47-year-old male non-Florida resident from Texas. The case has been ruled as domestic travel-related.

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County (DOH-Bay) has completed its contact investigation. Individuals who will need to self-monitor for symptoms for a 14-day period have been identified. Contact investigations are a critical way for staff epidemiologists to track and prevent the spread of disease.

Information about where the person was staying or where they visited as well as their current condition are protected by the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA). DOH-Bay’s goal is to always protect patient privacy.

Additionally, DOH-Bay reached out to our partners Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center and Ascension Sacred Heart Bay for information on ICU beds and ventilators. Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center reports they have 20 ICU beds, 28 NICU beds, and four PICU beds that they are licensed for by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), but they are prepared to go above those numbers if needed. Ascension Sacred Heart Bay has 42 ICU beds and 24 ventilators. At any time if either partner has additional needs, DOH-Bay will work with them to make requests to the State through the Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF 8), Health and Medical.

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County (DOH-Bay), is urging residents to stop the spread and call ahead. If you are having symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, and difficulty breathing) and you believe you have been exposed to the virus, call ahead to your health care provider and DOH-Bay at 850-872-4455. Your health care provider and DOH-Bay will screen to see if you meet Centers for Disease Control testing criteria. Persons who meet the criteria will be given directions on where, when, and how they will be tested.

To date as of 5 p.m., 26 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Bay County. Twenty-four residents and two non-Florida residents. 22 results are negative. Three are pending. More information on a case-by-case basis can also be found here.
For more detail on Florida resident cases, please visit the live DOH Dashboard here.
* Florida residents that are diagnosed with COVID-19 and isolated out of state are not reflected on the Florida map.
**Total cases overview includes positive cases in Florida residents and non-Florida residents tested in Florida.
The Panama City Beach City Council has called a COVID-19 workshop for 10 a.m. Monday, March 23, at City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 state of emergency. Capacity for public attendance will be severely limited. Members of the public are encouraged to watch the meeting live stream on our website or city Facebook page.

PanCare Health will begin conducting COVID-19 testing in Bay County as of Monday, March 23. PanCare Health clinics do not have testing kits on-site. Testing is only being conducted at an off-site location; if you present to a PanCare Health clinic for testing, you will be turned away and asked to complete the 4-step process outlined below.
Testing will only be performed on people who meet the current CDC criteria for testing.
If a person is exhibiting symptoms of acute lower respiratory illness (e.g., fever, cough, and shortness of breath) AND meets one or more of the following criteria for testing:
1. Persons who have had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 case
2. Persons hospitalized with acute lower respiratory illness of unknown origin
3. History of travel to or from an affected geographic area with widespread community transmission
4. History of international travel or a cruise
5. ≥65 with chronic health conditions
6. Immunocompromised persons
To qualify for testing, you must complete all of the 4 following steps, or you will be turned away at the testing site.
Step 1: Exhibit symptoms and meet the criteria as stated above.
Step 2: Call the PanCare COVID-19 response line at (850) 215-4181.
Step 3: Conduct an over the phone screening to ensure CDC criteria has been met.
Step 4: Upon qualifying for testing, you will be assigned a unique id number and given an appointment date and time. You must present this id number at your appointment with your photo id when you arrive at the off-site testing location.

COVID-19 response line team is available at (850) 215-4181 Monday-Friday 9 am-4 pm to conduct phone screenings. Due to high call volumes, you may need to leave a message, and team member will call you back at their earliest availability

Actions taken to respond to COVID-19:

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN BAY COUNTY
• DOH-Bay’s Children’s Dentistry Clinic is taking emergency appointments only and will be unable to provide elective procedures for the next three weeks.
• DOH-Bay’s WIC service is now able to complete nutrition education through the phone and automatically push benefits, unless you need a recertification. The WIC clinic in Southport is closed until further notice.
• HIV evening testing is canceled until further notice. Testing during regular hours will continue.
• WIC’s breastfeeding classes are canceled until further notice.
• All DOH-Bay events are cancelled until further notice including the March to Health 5K originally scheduled for March 28.

BAY COUNTY
• Sandy beaches and beach access closed until further notice.
• The Parker Public Library will close until further notice. All other locations are open. The Bay County library will not have Sunday hours until further notice. No library programs or storytimes through April 15. Some previously scheduled programs are being scheduled for a later date.
• The business offices of the Bay County Board of County Commissioners remain open to the public, though visitors are encouraged to make use of the telephone, online resources and in-person drop boxes when possible.
• Bay County Utilities provides a drop box at the front of the Utilities Department building, located at 3410 Transmitter Road and offers online payments at www.baycountyfl.gov. Customers may also make a payment by calling (855) 973-2020. For more information about utility payments, please call (850) 248-5010.
• Applications for Bay Area Transportation and payments for the Bay Town Trolley and Bay Area Transportation are available at www.baytowntrolley.org.
• Bay County Human Resources provides online recruitment options. Anyone interested in applying may visit www.baycountyfl.gov and click on External Job Opportunities to view posted vacancies.
• All forms for Builders Services are online at https://www.baycountyfl.gov/154/Builders-Services. Bay County licensed contractors with a Bay County trust account may email building permits to permittingteam@baycountyfl.gov.
• All forms for Planning and Zoning are online at https://www.baycountyfl.gov/328/Forms. Planning and Zoning encourages teleconferencing for meetings regarding development orders when possible.
• Concerns and questions regarding Bay County Code Enforcement may be emailed to codeenforcement@baycountyfl.gov.
• Bay County Geographic Information Systems offers and online addressing application, and can take payment over the phone. Visit https://www.baycountyfl.gov/148/Address-Numbering for more information.
• Bay County parks remain open to the public.
• The Bay County Board of County Commissioners has declared a state of emergency for Bay County as part of our response to COVID-19. The County’s declaration allows us to access resources at the State and Federal level to support our community needs as well as more quickly fathering needed emergency supplies from vendors as we deal with this ongoing health crisis.
• Suspended group programming and events at the Cooperative Extension Office.
• Providing free transit passes to students and their caregivers to Bay District Schools feeding locations throughout the county.
• Suspended utility disconnections and late payment fees.
• Suspended cancellation of commercial accounts at the landfill.

BAY DISTRICT SCHOOLS
• Bay District School is urging parents to complete an online survey to indicate whether their student will need paper-based or online lessons. Surveys are due by Monday, March 23.
• A schedule has been created for parents to pick-up students’ items from the schools.
• Parents are also being asked to ensure their email address is updated in the Parent Portal on FOCUS so that they can receive the emails from PeachJar.
• All schools are closed through April 15 per Governor DeSantis. FAQs are available on Bay District’s Facebook page. FSA/EOC testing is suspended for the rest of the year. BDS will be deploying distance learning programs beginning March 30. Please make sure you have an active email address uploaded to your child’s Parent Portal account.
• Meal service will be available beginning March 23 for school-aged children. Children can access three pre-packaged meals per day, served to go only. Kids ride free on the trolley. Please see Bay District’s Facebook page for details.

BAY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
• Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford will give ONE FREE 10-minute phone call to each inmate to use beginning today until next Thursday, March 26, 2020. Beginning next Thursday March 26, inmates will be allowed TWO FREE10-minute phone calls to call loved ones. Inmates will have an additional week –until April 2, 2020—to make these two additional calls.
• Arrested three persons after the crowd violated alcohol ban and crowd size order.
• Sheriff Ford has enacted several procedural changes to protect employees and inmates from the spread of COVID-19. All other law enforcement agencies in Bay County that may bring individuals to the Jail for booking have be…en made aware of these changes and are fully cooperating. All volunteer programs have been suspended. Visitation is continuing due to the fact that it occurs via video with no inmate contact. Employees receive a health screening upon coming to work at the jail. Incoming inmates will also be screened. High risk inmates will be segregated from the general population for their safety.
• The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating with other local agencies to ensure the safety of Bay County citizens and first responders. Sheriff Ford has taken steps to keep deputies safe as they continue to respond to calls for service by providing equipment they need such as gloves and masks.
• Sheriff Ford has also been in communication daily with Command Staff concerning the latest information about COVID-19 to keep all employees informed.
• BCSO telecommunicators have been given an additional list of questions to ask if there is a call for assistance involving a sick person, or a request for a Welfare Check on someone who has been ill, lives alone, and is not answering their door or phone. These questions will help deputies and EMS understand what situation they may face as they go to help.

GULF COAST REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
• Due to the recent announcement of a positive COVID-19 case in Bay County, effective today Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center will be further restricting our visitor policy to one visitor per patient here at Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center. Emergency Room – 1 visitor per patient 24/7, no visitor under 18 years old. Med/Surg – no more than one visitor per patient from 6 am-8 pm, no visitor under 18 years old. We are asking all visitors to leave at 8 pm. ICU – no more than one visitor per patient from 6 am-8 pm, no visitor under 18 years old. We are permitting one visitor to stay overnight. Pediatrics- no more than one immediate family member visitor from 6 am-8 pm, no visitor under 18 years old. We are permitting one legal guardian to stay overnight. Labor and Delivery – Regular Visiting hours are from 6am-8pm. One support person may be at the bedside at one time, no visitor under 18 years old. PICU and NICU – no more than one immediate family member visitor from 6 am-8 pm, no visitor under 18 years old. We are permitting one legal guardian to stay overnight. All Outpatient Procedures – no more than one visitor per patient to assist/support patient for procedure, no visitor under 18 years old. Visitors will continue to be screened before entering the facility.
• Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center is not a COVID-19 testing site. The hospital will swab patients who meet testing criteria and send samples to a lab for processing.

ASCENSION SACRED HEART BAY

• Only one visitor per patient is allowed in the building at a time. Family members or visitors can decide to rotate as they see fit, but only one in the building at a time.
• We have restricted entry for all patients and visitors to enter in and out of the Emergency Department entrance only. Staff and contractors enter in through the rear of the building or through our south tower entrance. This is so that proper screening can take place for everyone, including staff, who are screened daily upon entrance to the building.
• The cafeteria is no longer open to visitors unless they are here to see a patient.
• Ascension Sacred Heart Bay is not a COVID-19 testing site. The hospital will swab patients who meet testing criteria and send samples to a lab for processing.

CITY OF PANAMA CITY

• Declared a State of Emergency for the City of Panama City on March 18, 2020.
• Suspended all publicly-permitted events, facility reservations, sports and arts programming and informational meetings through at least April 15, 2020. Outdoor areas of the City’s parks are currently open.
• City Hall is open and all services are available; however, in an effort to protect the health of citizens and city team members, the City encourages residents to practice social distancing and utilize online resources, telephones and drop-boxes when possible.

CITY OF PANAMA CITY BEACH

• Closed sandy beaches through Thursday, March 26 at Noon. The Commission will meet again Thursday, March 26 at 9 a.m. to consider extending the ordinance.
• Prohibited all public gatherings at City facilities/property with more than 10 people until May 1.
• Canceled City recreational sports leagues, tournaments, organized team practices, and special events until May 1.
• Closed Frank Brown Park Community Center and Lyndell Center for the next 60 days.
• Encouraged citizens to utilize online or telephone services to conduct business with the City.
• Closed all bars and nightclubs for 30 days per Governor DeSantis.
• Encouraged limiting public interaction with City services employees in: Utility billing, Code Enforcement, HR, Civil Service, building inspection, routine police, and fire contact.
• There will be no involuntary water utility shutoff and late payment delinquency action for 60 days.

UNITED WAY OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA
• Feeding the Gulf Coast encourages anyone seeking food assistance, wanting to find a way to get involved, or stay up to date about about COVID-19 hunger relief efforts in our area to visit https://www.feedingthegulfcoast.org/learn-more/covid-19-response. Utilizing the “Find Help” feature, one can input his/her address or zip code to find information about food pantries in the immediate area. Feeding the Gulf Coast is diligent is updating the website, but anyone seeking food assistance is encouraged to call food pantries ahead of time.
More Information on COVID-19
To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 website. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website.
For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling (866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.
What you Should Know

COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Department recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;
• Staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with persons in poor health;
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
• Covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue, then disposing of the tissue;
• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing;
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty; and
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
The CDC does not recommend that asymptomatic, healthy people wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
A person that experiences a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from any other destination with community transmission should call ahead to their health care provider and local CHD and mention their recent travel or close contact.

If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, he or she should call ahead to a health care professional and the CHD. The health care provider will work with the Department to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19.