LATEST OPERATIONAL UPDATES FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY
*NEW*
VIDEO:
PALM BEACH COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY & SERVICES
The Palm Beach County Medical Society and Services, Healthcare Emergency Response Coalition has an urgent message for the community.
*NEW*
BCC REPORT FOR AUGUST 4, 2020
On August 4, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners held a virtual board meeting to review and discuss local COVID-19 mitigation efforts and the county's emergency response to Hurricane Isaias, which passed just offshore as a tropical storm on August 1 and 2. The “covidcane" marked the first time the Emergency Operations Center has been at full activation for dual emergencies.
Dr. Alina Alonso, director of the Florida Department of Health-Palm Beach County, said to date there have been 491,884 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide. Palm Beach County has reported 34,550 positive cases. A total of 265,127 people in the county have been tested (303 were non-residents)
Statewide, the overall positivity rate is 13.09%. The county's is slightly lower at 13.03%, as of Aug. 3.
The daily lab positivity rate, a key indicator of how much of the virus is actually in the community, stands at 9.09% statewide and 9.8% in Palm Beach County, as of August 2.
“We want to go all the way down to 5 percent to be able to have effective contact tracing and be able to stop the spread of the COVID," said Dr. Alonso. “The virus is not going to be stopped by contact tracing. That's only a tool. The virus can only be stopped by social distancing (and) wearing of the masks." Dr. Alonso urged everyone to get a flu shot this season.
Hurricane Isaias - Emergency Management Director Bill Johnson gave an overview of the county's dual emergency preparedness and response for Hurricane Isaias.
- The EOC activated to Level 1 on Friday morning, July 31.
- Isaias weakened to tropical storm status as it approached Palm Beach County Saturday and the core remained offshore.
- All clear issued early Sunday afternoon
- No reports of storm surge or significant flooding, and minimal beach erosion. One evacuation order was issued (Zone A).
- Some uprooted trees and downed power lines reported; approximately 2,600 FPL customers lost power; 20 traffic signals malfunctioned.
- Around 200 people stayed at the county's four general population shelters and one special needs shelter. No one was turned away from any shelters, Johnson noted.
- The pet friendly shelter at West Boynton Recreation Center housed 19 dogs, 7 cats and 1 bird.
- The Emergency Information Center (EIC) answered 450 calls from residents.
“I am pleased that Hurricane Isaias was an exercise more than a real hurricane event," said Johnson. “We successfully tested our sheltering protocols during a nationwide pandemic, which proved that we can safely shelter people in a congregate setting."
BCC expansion – the board rescinded Commissioner Mack Bernard's previous staff directive to pursue placing on the November 3, 2020 ballot a referendum that would increase representation on the BCC by two seats, one of them an elected county mayor.
PBC ORDERS, ACTIONS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
BCC ADOPTS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE 2020-013 AMENDMENTS
On July 28, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted
Emergency Ordinance 2020-013. The measure amends Article II of Chapter 9 of the Palm Beach County Code of Ordinances known as the Emergency Management Ordinance, which provides procedures for managing emergencies.
LIMITED EXTENSION OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE AND EVICTION RELIEF
Executive Order 20-180 has been extended until 12:01 a.m. September 1.
RESTRICTING OPERATING HOURS OF RESTAURANTS, FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS AND OTHER BUSINESSES
Palm Beach County Emergency Order 2020-015
No establishment permitted to serve food for on-site consumption, whether indoor or outdoor, shall serve food between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Delivery, drive-through, pick-up, or take-out services are permitted for off-site consumption.
EXTENSION OF FACIAL COVERINGS DIRECTIVE
Palm Beach County Emergency Order 2020-16
Extension of the facial coverings directive Emergency Order 2020-012 has been extended until 12:01 a.m. August 23. This order applies in all incorporated and unincorporated areas of Palm Beach County.
Click
here to view Palm Beach County Emergency Orders
Palm Beach County has extended the COVID-19
State of Emergency until August 7.
For up-to-date re-openings go to PBCGOV.com
click here.
*NEW*
Health Care District of Palm Beach County's Testing for Tuesday, 8-4-20:
The Health Care District's
C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics [brumbackclinics.org] have reopened to provide safe, in-person medical, dental and behavioral health services and limited pharmacy services at eight clinic sites throughout Palm Beach County. Patients can call 561-642-1000 to schedule an appointment for either a telemedicine or inpatient visit.
Florida Atlantic Testing Site in Boca Raton
This site tested
217 residents today. The testing site is located at the FAU Tech Runway on the north end of the FAU campus at 901 NW 35th Street, Boca Raton, 33431. Appointments are required for testing. To make an appointment, call American Medical Response at 1-800-209-7919 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Testing is available to anyone over the age of 12, with or without COVID-19 symptoms.
South County Civic Center Site in West Delray Beach
This site tested
214 residents today. The drive through testing site is located at the South County Civic Center located at 16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach, FL 33446. Appointments are required for testing. To make an appointment, call American Medical Response at 1-800-209-7919 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Testing is available to anyone over the age of 12, with or without COVID-19 symptoms.
Homebound Resident Testing
Residents eligible include homebound elderly or individuals with disabilities who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
and cannot leave their homes to access one of the drive-up or walk-up test collection sites. Residents who believe they are eligible for the in-home testing option should call 561-712-6400 for a pre-qualifying assessment. The testing line is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
RESOURCES
*NEW*
UP-TO-DATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COVID-19 DASHBOARD
As of 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, the positivity rate in Palm Beach County is
13.07%. To find the latest information about your specific zip code and other COVID-19 data, check out the Florida Department of Health
COVID-19 Dashboard . Also find more health/COVID-19 information in
multiple languages here.
*NEW*
CARES RESTART BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM OFFERED FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY
The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved the CARES Restart Business Grants Program to accelerate the reopening of businesses hardest hit by COVID-19. The $60 million Business Restart Program uses a portion of the county's $261 million allocation from the Federal CARES Act approved by Congress. The BCC has dedicated $50 million toward businesses with 25 or fewer employees and $10 million towards businesses with greater than 25 employees. The application period is now over but could reopen if grant dollars remain after the current applications are processed.
Below is the summary as of 4:00 p.m. Tuesday for the CARES DHES application process:
| Summary |
Count |
Total Applications Received
|
4989
|
| Applications In Review | 144
|
Applications Denied-Inaccurate, Ineligible
| 1932
|
Applications Approved
| 221
|
CARES Grant Issued by Checks
| 2692
|
*NEW*
CSD ANNOUNCES NEW COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER PROGRAM
Collaborative with Community-based Agencies
The Palm Beach County Community Services Department (CSD) announces launch of the Community Health Worker (CHW) Program, which is aimed at helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. CSD partnered with Caridad Center, Community Partners, FoundCare, Inc., Genesis Community Health, and Health Council of Southeast Florida to hire local residents who reflect similar racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the communities served.
Some of the strategies implemented in this program include, but are not limited to:
- building trust with residents and encouraging them to get tested for COVID-19;
- being present at testing sites to encourage individuals who are tested to cooperate with the Department of Health's contact tracers;
- collecting information from individuals tested to assist contact tracers;
- providing education and awareness to residents on ways to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19;
- training residents on how to isolate and wear personal protective equipment properly;
- connecting residents to community resources that are available to assist with isolation and connecting them to emergency supports; and
- checking in with residents to ensure their needs are being met during isolation.
For more information about the program, contact Sonja Holbrook at (561) 355-4700 or
SHolbroo@pbcgov.org.
COMMUNITY SERVICES ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE FOR RENT AND UTILITIES
The
CARES Act Rent and Utilities Assistance Program provides one-time rental and/or utility assistance to eligible Palm Beach County residents who have experienced loss of income, reduction in hours, or unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are for applicants who reside in apartments, houses, townhouses, or mobile homes.
Applications must be submitted through the CSD's online portal. To apply, visit
www.pbcgov.com/OSCARSS. To learn more, visit
www.pbcgov.com/communityservices.
PALM BEACH COUNTY CARES FOR HOUSING (Mortgage Assistance Program)
ELIGIBLE MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE: Funding will provide assistance to income eligible households who are at least one-month delinquent in their first mortgage and escrow payments (PITI), late fees, attorney's fees, condominium and homeowners' association payments, special assessments, and other mortgage associated costs related to COVID-19.
LOCATIONS FOR CARES ACT RENT AND UTILITIES DOCUMENT DROP-OFF AND APPLICATION ASSISTANCE
The PBC Community Services Department (CSD) has added new locations to help applicants who have submitted CARES Act applications and need assistance with uploading pending documentation, verifying eligibility and/or processing the application only.
Applicants may make an appointment to submit documents at CSD's drive-thru intake, located at 810 Datura Street, West Palm Beach, and 1440 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Riviera Beach, on
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Please call (561) 355-4792 to make/confirm appointments and find out the drive-thru hours.
PALM BEACH COUNTY FEEDING SITES Interactive Map
PALM TRAN
Palm Tran passengers will now begin boarding through the front door starting August 12, 2020. Palm Tran passengers will board through the front and exit through the back doors. Palm Tran will begin collecting fares on all services starting August 16, 2020. Stay Safe!
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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
mailto: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
For the latest information and updates from Palm Beach County, visit
http://pbcgov.com/coronavirus.