City of Miami Beach Update on COVID-19, 3/25

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Similar to the City of Miami Beach's "Safer at Home" Order detailed below, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-83 yesterday, directing the State Surgeon General and State Health Officer to issue a public health advisory to all persons over 65 years of age urging them to stay home and to take such other measures as necessary to limit their risk of exposure to COVID-19. The city strongly recommends seniors heed this advisory, along with those who have compromised immune systems, as they are at a higher risk of severe illness if they were to contract the novel coronavirus. Keeping residents safe is the primary directive in the city’s fight against COVID-19. To that end, the “Safer at Home” Emergency Order, enacted yesterday, March 24 also remains in effect. This order requires all persons living in the city to remain in their homes unless engaging in one of the activities listed below: Essential retail and commercial activities, such as groceries; medical care; restaurants for pick up, take out or delivery; banking; and other activities listed in the Order; Outdoor recreational activities in areas not otherwise CLOSED; Religious activities, subject to distance separation rules; Personal support activities, to care for family members or friends; Work in support of essential activities, including work to or from essential retail and commercial businesses permitted to remain open by County Emergency Order or City Emergency Order At all times, residents and visitors shall adhere to social distancing practices, such as maintaining a distance of at least six feet away from others, washing hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds or using hand sanitizer, covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands), regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces, and not shaking hands.  Residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to limit all of their travel, except as absolutely necessary.  As a reminder, the city has implemented a curfew from midnight to 5 a.m. until further notice.

To help keep you informed on the latest details of this ever evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the city has created a dedicated, city-related coronavirus webpage. We encourage you to continuously visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/coronavirus for the most up-to-date information, including a list of frequently asked questions, important resources, impacts to city services and more. Should you have additional questions, please call our city hotline at 305.604.CITY (2489), open from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. or email your questions to MBCovid@miamibeachfl.gov.

Miami Beach Trolley Update In the interest of public health and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the City of Miami Beach is suspending all trolley service effective Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 7 p.m. Miami-Dade Transit Update Miami-Dade Transit’s Metrobus system will continue to run FREE weekday routes across Miami-Dade County with reduced frequencies. For Miami-Dade County transit updates, please click here. COVID-19 Testing Center for Seniors at Marlins Park Miami-Dade County has opened a COVID-19 testing center on the west side of Marlins Park, 501 Marlins Way, Miami. The drive-through testing center is designated for testing of Miami-Dade County residents aged 65 or older, and testing is by appointment only. Those interested in getting tested should dial 305.499.8767 to reach the call center, where they will be pre-screened for symptoms. Staff on site can only test those with appointments. All others will be turned away. The senior citizen being tested may arrive at the drive-through location with only one other person in the car, and that person will also be tested, so as to make sure there has been no spread of the virus. The call center will open daily at 9 am and will remain open until all appointment slots for the next day have been filled. For now, daily testing is available at this site for 300 people. Beachwalk Update The beachwalk is now open daily as a shared use path for bicycles and pedestrians between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m., the beachwalk will be exclusively for pedestrians. Meals for Seniors If you are a senior citizen 65 years or older and are having problems getting meals, please call Miami-Dade County’s 311 Call Center between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and you will be immediately patched in with their Emergency Operations Center to get you the meals or other services that you may need. Free Hotline for Deaf Community Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) and its Connect Direct division announced the launch of a new coronavirus hotline for the deaf community made available through its ASL Now platform. CSD’s free hotline brings the deaf community important and accessible information on COVID-19 in both American Sign Language (ASL) and English.   Individuals may contact the ASL Now hotline anytime Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST either by visiting CSD and clicking “ASL Now” or by dialing 833.682.7630 on any videophone (VP). The CSD’s ASL Now hotline is not a medical organization, it does not provide medical advice and its agents are not medical professionals. Virtual Cultural Offerings Feeling the cabin fever? Our cultural partners are busy coming up with creative ways to share their art and culture with you! Click here to view all there is to experience virtually in Miami Beach.  Impacted Meetings/Events For a full list of impacted meetings and events, additional information on summer camps and more, please visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/coronavirus.

The City of Miami Beach remains committed to ensuring the safety and public health of our residents, visitors and local businesses. As the information is changing rapidly pertaining to COVID-19, the administration is conducting daily interdepartmental calls to monitor the progression of novel coronavirus COVID-19 to ensure that we stay informed and prepared to respond if needed. We are also closely following the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health (FDOH).  Below is an ongoing summary of updates from the City of Miami Beach. Sanitary Measures We are continuing to ensure our city facilities are being thoroughly cleaned. This includes the daily effort of wiping down every touch surface such as door handles, elevator push buttons and handrails. Cleaning contractors are also providing additional training to staff to ensure proper cleaning techniques are utilized. Miami Eats Program Due to the dramatic impact on the hospitality industry during this pandemic, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) has launched MIAMI EATS - a new program to help our restaurants and their employees during this crisis. Visit www.GMCVB.com/MiamiEats for a list of restaurants open for takeout and delivery and if you’re a restaurant owner, learn how to have your establishment added to the list. Essential Hotels Still Open in Miami-Dade County Although hotels are closed on Miami Beach, there are still essential hotels open on the mainland. Visit www.miamiandbeaches.com/miami-essential-lodging for a full list of open properties in Miami-Dade County. Parks & Recreational Facilities All parks, beaches, recreation centers and programs are closed until further notice. For detailed information regarding facilities and summer camps, visit our dedicated COVID-19 webpage and view the tab pertaining to Parks & Rec: Programs and Class Updates.   Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 305.673.7730. Baptist Health Offers FREE Online Urgent Care Visits The CDC is urging patients with symptoms or concerns to stay home and use telehealth as a first line of defense. Virtual care remains a highly effective method for evaluating illness from the comfort of one’s home, while minimizing exposure to potentially contagious viruses. In order to help provide greater access to care and peace of mind, Baptist Health is offering FREE online urgent care visits using the code CARE19 for a limited time. If you or a loved one are experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms, Baptist Health has clinicians available online, nationwide 24/7, who can help assess your condition and determine the best course of action. Simply download the Care on Demand app here, sign up and see a caregiver from your phone, tablet or computer. Impacted City Services For a full list of impacted city services, including the Building Department, Code Compliance, Parking and more, select the Impacted City Services tab on our COVID-19 webpage. Emerging Reports of Scams There have been some reports of scams happening within Miami-Dade County. Scams will probably evolve over time, but some include: people going door-to-door selling COVID-19 test kits; texts/emails/phone calls from companies offering fast test results or asking the recipient to claim their free protective mask from the Red Cross or a similar organization; text or emails that the recipient is suspected to have come in contact with the coronavirus and requests credit card information to ship medication; offers to invest in stocks related to the illness; various organizations soliciting online donations for COVID-19 related work, etc.   It’s important to only seek information from trusted sources such as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Florida Department of Health. If you have been targeted by any of these scams, you should report it to the Miami Beach Police Department’s non-emergency number at 305.673.7900. If your issue is an emergency, please call 911 immediately. Parkmobile Payments Only at Curbside Parking Spaces To help minimize the use of touch surfaces to further prevent the transmittal of COVID-19, payment for curbside parking spaces is now being accepted through the Parkmobile app only. The Parkmobile app is a free download on iOS and Android. It provides a simple and convenient way to pay for parking while avoiding touch surfaces and observing social distancing. For details, click here. Business Assistance & Resources View some helpful tools and resources for businesses expected to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including information on Governor DeSantis' Florida Small Business Emergency Loan Program, on the Business Assistance & Resource tab of our COVID-19 webpage. Miami-Dade County Special Transportation Service (STS) For elderly and those with special needs, the County offers an alternative mode of transportation that offers door-to-door transportation service from the main entrance of pick-up to the main entrance of drop-off locations. Please note that you MUST be eligible for these services in order to utilize them. The service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be used throughout Miami-Dade County ONLY for those that are eligible. Visit the County's website and learn more about the eligibility requirements. Resident Parking Rate Registration: COVID-19 Temporary Relief We understand the challenges brought on by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused some level of inconvenience for us all. In order to alleviate some of those challenges, residents may park and will be honored in all municipal parking lots. For more detailed information related to the Miami Beach Resident Parking Rate Program, please click here. Seniors and Special Needs Community All senior centers have closed. Any seniors that are currently registered in a senior meals program will be served meals by their respective providers based on their specific plans. View additional information under the Senior/Special Needs Update tab on our COVID-19 webpage. Prevention Starts With You The CDC urges everyone to do their part to help during this emerging public health threat, this includes: Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth Avoid close contact with people who are sick Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe Take personal responsibility. If you are sick with a fever, cough or viral symptoms, please stay away from others, including the work environment and crowded areas If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease such as: Stock up on supplies Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often. Avoid crowds as much as possible    During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, you can learn more about prevention and treatment by visiting the CDC website. Stay Informed For updated information on the city’s efforts, please visit: www.MiamiBeachFl.gov/coronavirus. We will also be posting updated messages via email, Nextdoor, Facebook or Twitter.

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