​Individuals with questions related to the coronavirus should call the Florida Department of Health’s Coronavirus Call Center at 1-866-779-6121 which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov. They can also visit http://pbchd.org for the latest health information. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coronavirus COVID-19.

Here are the latest operational updates for Palm Beach County:

Executive Orders Issued by Governor Ron DeSantis

•    #2020-72 Executive Order re: Emergency Management – COVID-19 – Non-essential Elective Medical Procedures - 03/20/2020
•    #2020-71 Executive Order re: Emergency Management – COVID-19 – Alcohol Sales, Restaurants, and Gyms - 03/20/2020
•    #2020-70 Executive Order re: Emergency Management – COVID-19 – Broward and Palm Beach County Closures - 03/20/2020
•    #2020-69 Executive Order re: Emergency Management – COVID-19 – Local Government Public Meetings - 03/20/2020
•    #2020-68 Executive Order re: Emergency Management – COVID-19 regarding bars, beaches, and restaurants - 03/17/2020    
•    #2020-52 Executive Order re: Emergency Management – COVID-19 Public Health Emergency - 03/09/2020
•    #2020-51 Executive Order re: Establishes Coronavirus Response Protocol and Directs Public Health Emergency - 03/01/2020

Palm Beach County Orders and Actions

•    Amendment to Emergency Order Number 1
•    Emergency Order Number 1

Executive Order 20-70 orders all beaches to close in Palm Beach and Broward counties. It orders all movie theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, arcades, gymnasiums, fitness studios. This does not apply to gyms and fitness centers which are amenities of hotels, which have a capacity of 10 persons or less or are an amenity of a residential building.

Executive Order 20-71 applies statewide and orders all restaurants and food establishments licensed under Chapters 500 and 509, Florida Statutes, to suspend on-premised food consumption for customers. Food establishment may operate their kitchens for the purpose of providing delivery or take-out services. It also orders all vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises to suspend the sale of alcoholic beverages by the drink or in sealed containers for consumption on the premises. Such vendors may continue to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for consumption off-premises.

Boat Ramps - all boat ramps and marinas are closed to all recreational boating activities to include boat launching, in/out storage activities, and boat rentals in Palm Beach County until further notice. Licensed commercial fishermen who provide food for restaurants and markets, commercial marine operations, and support services are permitted to operate.

Office of Equal Business Opportunity

Effective Monday, March 23, the Office of Equal Business Opportunity will no longer accept in-person client appointments or walk-ins until further notice. Certification and recertification documents may be uploaded to the Vendor Self-Service portal: https://pbcvssp.co.palmbeach.fl.us/webapp/vssp/AltSelfService  or mailed directly to the office. Should you require additional information, please contact the office at 561-616-6840.

Community Services

All Palm Beach County Community Services Department (CSD) offices are closed for walk-in visits. The Division of Human and Veteran Services (DHVS)/Homeless and Prevention Services is not taking in-person appointments but is still scheduling appointments over the phone through the Lewis Center at 561-904-7900. Appointments will be scheduled for a phone interview only. Veteran Services appointments are available only via phone at 561-355-4761.

The county’s three (3) senior centers are closed.

Adult daycare centers at county senior centers are closed effective Monday, March 23.

Contracted vendors continue providing in-home services by conducting assessments over the phone, as approved by the Department of Elder Affairs/Area on Aging Agency. Stipend Senior Companion Program volunteers and RELIEF volunteers are providing services by phone.

Libraries

While our library locations are closed to the public, staff are available to answer questions and offer assistance using our online resources. http://www.pbclibrary.org/locations

We are offering a free temporary e-card to access our online resources including e-books, e-audiobooks, downloadable music, magazines, and movies. http://www.pbclibrary.org/virtual-library.

In addition, we have curated a list of resources for those who are stuck at home and need something to occupy their time. Topics covered include arts and culture, business, consumer, education, food, kids, stress release, technology tutorials and more. http://www.pbclibrary.org/covid19/resources.

Palm Tran

Effective Tuesday, March 24, 2020, Palm Tran will operate on a Saturday schedule, which will provide daily service but result in longer wait time between stops, until further notice. A normal Sunday schedule will run on Sundays. Passengers will enter and exit through the rear bus doors only. Palm Tran Connection is providing essential trips for riders.  We will continue to evaluate our transit system and make the necessary adjustments to keep our drivers and riders as safe as possible.

Planning, Zoning, and Building

Many of the services provided for permits, contractor certification, and code enforcement are now being transitioned to either online or telephone assistance to complete business.  In-person, face-to-face contact inside a building is being limited. For a complete list of modified operations, please visit http://discover.pbcgov.org/pzb/Pages/default.aspx.

    Code Enforcement - Please be advised that effective immediately, Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building's Code Enforcement Division remains operational, but is closing the lobby to the public and will operate by appointment only, until further notice. This relates to unscheduled walk-in customers only. Customers and respondents that need to meet with a Code Enforcement staff must first contact that staff member by phone or via email.

    Building Division - In-person submittals from registered contractors will be limited, and the electronic submittal for Building Division Permit Applications will be required for certain permit types. NOTE: State law requires Owner Builders to appear in person to submit new permit applications, and this notice does not apply to Owner Builders. For a complete list via the online portal view: http://discover.pbcgov.org/pzb/building/PDF/Online_Submittal_Building_Permit_Notice.pdf.

Youth Services Department

Summer Camp Applications are still being processed.  The deadline is March 31, 2020.  The application is online at http://discover.pbcgov.org/youthservices/Pages/Summer_Camp.aspx. Technical assistance in filling out the application can be obtained by calling 561-242-5713.

2020 Census

Palm Beach County residents should have received their invitation to complete the 2020 Census questionnaire. All residents are urged to complete the questionnaire as soon as they can. It will take about 10 minutes to complete. It's safe, secure, and confidential. Information and privacy are protected. Responding to the Census helps to direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services. Results from the 2020 Census will be used to determine the number of seats each state has in Congress and political representation at all levels of government. YourCount In Palm Beach County.

We remind everyone to practice good hygiene and we continue to make the health and safety of residents our top priority. We also are reminding everyone to follow social distancing, (a six-foot distance), guidelines recommended by the CDC.

For the latest information and updates from Palm Beach County visit http://pbcgov.com/coronavirus.

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