City of Miami Beach Update on COVID-19, 3/27

Friday, March 27, 2020

Coronavirus Results As of today, March 27 there have been 88 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the City of Miami Beach. View a chart below of Miami Beach cumulative cases vs Miami-Dade County cumulative cases. Click here to view the Florida Department of Health's website with more information of the case breakdown.

Customer Service Beginning Monday, March 30 our city hotline at 305.604.CITY (2489), will be open from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. You can also email your questions to MBCovid@miamibeachfl.gov. The Customer Service Center will be closed to walk-in customers beginning Monday, March 30, all transactions will be handled online here. Customers can call our main line at 305.673.7420, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. or email us at mbhelp@miamibeachfl.gov. Safer at Home Keeping residents and businesses safe is the primary directive in the city’s fight against COVID-19. As such, the City Manager has extended his State of Emergency Declaration through April 2, 2020 with the following revisions: Consistent with the general restrictions on public and private gatherings set forth in the city’s “Safer at Home” Emergency Order, public and private gatherings of any number of people shall be prohibited in religious institutions and places of worship, to limit the community spread of COVID-19. Beachwalks and baywalks are 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 beachwalks and baywalks are exclusively for pedestrians. Click here to read the city’s updated Emergency Measures effective today. Any violation of the aforementioned emergency measures would subject the individual or business entity to criminal penalties. Additionally, the State of Florida has announced Executive Order 20-80, which requires those who travel to Florida from an area with substantial community spread, to include the New York Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) to isolate or quarantine for 14 days upon entering the state. Violation of Executive Order 20-80 is a second-degree misdemeanor pursuant to Section 252.50, Florida Statutes.

Caring for Those Who Care for Us Whether they're a first responder keeping us safe, a health care professional nursing us back to health, or a senior who loves us unconditionally, show your love and appreciation for those that care for us. Join Vice-Mayor Micky Steinberg in sending a letter or drawing illustrating your gratitude and she'll be sure to get it into the right hands! Please email letters/drawings to CovidKindnessMB@miamibeachfl.gov Don't forget to include in the subject line of the email who you would like to send your letter to: Miami Beach First Responder Miami Beach Health Care Professional Miami Beach Senior Citizen Miami-Dade County Public School Food Distribution Beginning Monday, March 30, the Miami-Dade Public Schools will be offering grab-and-go meals to those in need from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Miami Beach Senior High. Click here for more information and other school locations. 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.

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.

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. CareerSource Reemployment Assistance If your employment has been negatively impacted as a result of the mitigation efforts in Florida to stop the spread of COVID-19, you may be eligible to receive Reemployment Assistance. Click here for CareerSource's reemployment FAQ's and here to view their COVID-19 Disaster Recovery Resource page. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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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