Week 2 of Miami-Dade COVID19 crisis brings more testing, more regulations

The second day of the second week of the Miami-Dade COVID19 crisis and the number of positives in the county keeps rising, reaching 367 on Tuesday evening, which is almost 100 more than the 278 confirmed infected the night before. But experts and leaders say that trajectory is only so sharp because of an increase in the number of people tested.

If that is so, however, then there are likely still hundreds if not thousands of people who are positive and don’t know it. Yet. According to the latest figures from the Florida Department of Health, there were another 2,729 people in Miami-Dade under observation. That number is going to rise also.

This week, there are more drive-through testing options open and about to open, including a state-run operation at the HardRock Stadium in Miami Gardens and the one at Marlins Park that is a partnership between Miami-Dade County, the city of Miami, Jackson Health Systems, the University of Miami and the Miami Marlins.

The city has bought 20,000 tests for $1 million and, after providing tests for homebound seniors who meet the criteria, they will begin testing the public at Marlins Park. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said in one of his video messages, now shot at his office on the 29th floor since he is out of isolation — and did he do his whole 14 days? Or did he leave early in time for the press conference? — that the county was looking at other potential drive-through testing sites.

And late Tuesday, after three more employees tested positive, Miami-Dade County’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) closed its Permitting and Inspection Center (PIC) at 11805 SW 26 Street for 14 days. A total of four employees there — at least so far — have tested positive for coronavirus. All inspections scheduled for tomorrow are canceled, except for new construction inspections by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s New Construction Bureau. Online services are still available.

The county had earlier announced the building of a field hospital with 250 beds on the Dade County Youth Fair grounds by Florida International University. Gimenez didn’t say how many cots there would be in addition to the 250 beds.

And is it just me, or is it kinda creepy that they are doing testing and field hospitals at stadiums and arenas? Facilities that could easily be converted into what Gov. Ron DeSantis calls “isolation centers” (read: COVID containment camps), which he is actually considering for those who test positive?

Most people aren’t scared enough yet by the prospect of forced isolation to forgo the test, so expect the number of county positives to go up. There’s already proof of community spread and we were late, as a country and as a county, to act swiftly so it can only go up for now. And some have predicted that it will last longer than a couple of weeks before we flatten that trajectory line.

Among the other developments Tuesday:

Although many people are on Day 9 of a self-imposed stay-at-home recommendation, Miami and Miami Beach issued stay-at-home orders that strictly prohibit, kinda, any outings of any kind. Unless you are a healthcare worker. Or a first responder. Or have to do grocery shopping. Or need to pick something up at the pharmacy. Or want to fill up your tank with gas. Or have to go to the doctor. Or have any kind of job that is thought of as essential, which could include cleaning crews and solid waste pick-up — at least until their unions strike, which Ladra predicts is soon.
Groups of more than 10 people anywhere are illegal and will be dispersed one way or another. This will likely be amended Wednesday to exclude families of 10 or more, or hospital staff and monasteries or convents or baptisms or weddings or funerals.
Miami-Dade Police will enforce the six-feet apart rule at whatever establishments remain open, as well. “I’m warning you now,” Gimenez said, “if a store is unable to consistently keep people from getting too close, I will be forced to close it down.” This also goes for the cafecito ventanitas, that are apparently attracting large gatherings of Cubans who are dying — literally — to talk to each other, and not practicing social distancing. “I expect restaurant owners to put procedures in place to make this happen. If this problem persist, we will be forced to take additional measures,” Gimenez said, using his strongest language so far in the crisis on cafeterias.
Test kits arrived at the county on Tuesday and would start being used at Marlins Park Wednesday for by-appointment-only testing for pre-qualified seniors with symptoms and a prescription. “Do not show up without an appointment because you won’t be allowed in,” Gimenez said. “We will continue to look for other drive-through sites.”
Gov. DeSantis has moved the deadline to pay property taxes from March 31 to April 30, Gimenez said. Ladra believes they’re going to have to move that deadline again.
Gimenez asked DeSantis to also ease rules on and increase unemployment benefits. He should also ask the governor to increase food stamp benefits.
We learned that an employee at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital tested positive for COVID19.
We also learned that three corrections officers who tested positive worked with prisoners — at three different county jails.
Florida Health Department officials were screening airport travelers from New York, which is the U.S. epicenter for the coronavirus, who were then told to self-isolate for 14 days or face arrest. Gimenez asked the state to impose the same rules for flights coming from Cuba.
Homebound seniors who used to attend and have lunch at adult activity centers that are now closed continued to get meals delivered to their homes. Seniors who are not getting meals and need them should call 311.
Business owners should not lay off workers yet, Gimenez said. “Federal and state relief is coming for those workers. You could lose out on qualifying for federal relief during this emergency. Please wait a couple of days,” before firing anyone, he said, “until we get clarity on the federal rules how to proceed. We do not want your business to be penalized and not get the relief you need,” Gimenez said. Um, maybe that is something he should have said last week?
Gimenez is still working with the Beacon Council to establish an office for local businesses to go for loans and assistance once the relief bill in Washington passes. “The bills are still in flux in Washington but at this time it looks like workers will be getting paid their entire salary for six to eight weeks,” he said. Which is apparently how long it takes to establish an office.
Hotels were emptied, almost. Monday was the deadline for people at short-term vacation rentals to vamoose. No new rental agreements can be entered into on a nightly or weekly basis until further notice, Gimenez said. There are, of course, exceptions for airline personnel and homeless people and victims of domestic violence and healthcare workers and some others. But nobody else, okay? “Hotels should be alerting anyone who has a reservation this week or any time in the next few weeks to not come. Please don’t come,” he said, which Ladra hopes is not our new tourism slogan. “Please don’t come.”

On Monday, Gimenez announced a random sample study the county will do with UM in “the next week or so,” getting 10,000 tests on people that reflect the demographics of the community. “Those tests will help us establish the infection rate of COVID19 in Miami-Dade,” he said.

He also walked back another executive order — his fifth amendment? Sixth? Ladra is losing track — when he said marinas and boat ramps were still closed, except to people who live on boats and need to come to shore from time to time for supplies. Oh, and ferries. Because the only ferry we have, the Fisher Island ferry, is how those people get to and from their homes.

It’s like we’re watching a V-8 commercial. On a loop. It’s understandable that we’ve never gone through anything like this before, but he also has to stop making decisions in a silo.

“This is a situation unlike any other. And we’re basing our decisions on best advice from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health,” Gimenez said, asking for patience and understanding in these times.

He also said that people don’t need to buy water. “COVID19 cannot contaminate our water supply,” Gimenez said. “Open the tap. Miami Dade water is really, really good.”

Aaaaah. Wait, how does he know that the coronavirus can’t contaminate our water supply? Please tell me he didn’t get that from his mentor, President Donald Trump. who at first thought it was a Democrat hoax and then that it would disappear overnight.

Buy some water por si las moscas. His track record with this crisis is terrible. Maybe he will walk that back next.

Carlos Gimenez, coronavirus, COVID19, Ron DeSantis

Week 2 of Miami-Dade COVID19 crisis brings more testing, more regulations added by Ladra on March 25, 2020
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