TreasureCoast Covid 19 Update May the Fourth be with you!
Statewide, the number of coronavirus cases now tops 36-thousand. The death toll is 13-hundred-79
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Governor Ron DeSantis will hold a press conference today to lay out the administration’s response to the spike in unemployment.
In Daytona Beach yesterday, DeSantis said they’ve paid more than 450-thousand people more than 700-million-dollars. Many frustrated users of the unemployment computer system say they haven’t gotten any checks yet and their status is either “pending” or “denied” for no reason.
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Most Florida restaurants are allowed to reopen today (not this past weekend)Â under the governor’s “Safe, Smart, Step-by-Step” plan, but that does not include Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
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Elective surgeries, which the governor suspended in March, can resume today. Dozens of surgeries are already scheduled, and hospital officials say precautions have been taken to ensure patient safety.
Under the new rules, restaurants can operate at no more than 25-percent capacity and must practice social distancing.
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Florida gas prices might be bottoming out with demand likely to increase as the state reopens. Triple-A says the current statewide average is a dollar-76 a gallon, the lowest in four years.
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Despite being closed for the past month, Archie Seabreeze employees were able to stay on payroll. Since then they’ve all been serving up a labor of love, making renovations to the backyard patio, kitchen and deck.
In an effort to show some support to the community, the restaurant is also bringing back its beloved specials.
“We understand people have been affected that haven’t been able to work, so Tuesdays we have 60 cent wings,” Quitt said. “We have karaoke Tuesday night. We’re gonna start that this Tuesday. On Wednesdays, we have $5 Archie burgers and $10 Papa Chubby burgers.”
The restaurant has also made changes to its seating arrangements to help keep customers safe and ensure social distancing practices.
Thanks for setting an example!
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On the eve of the Treasure Coast preparing for the gradual shift to more relaxed rules and regulations amid the coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Ron DeSantis called the plan to lift the state’s stay-at-home orders “safe, smart and step by step.”
The plan will go into effect Today statewide except for Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, where most of the state’s COVID-19 cases have been reported.
Under Phase One, retail stores and restaurants can reopen, but only at 25% capacity. Eateries will be allowed to seat people outside, but they will have to maintain 6 feet of social distancing. Elective surgical procedures will be allowed to resume.
But schools, bars, gyms, hair salons, nursing home and long-term care facilities will remain closed until further notice.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to advise that as parts of the country reopen, people should still be vigilant by practicing social distancing, wearing face coverings and washing hands.
About 200,000 COVID-19 antibody tests have arrived in Florida and will deployed in the coming days in different locations across the state, the governor said.
DeSantis spoke about Walgreens announcing that select stores will offer drive-thru COVID-19 tests.
“The state-supported testing, hospital testing is great, but there’s more private sector actors that are getting involved in this,” DeSantis said. “I recently signed an executive order to allow licensed pharmacists to conduct COVID tests. So Walgreens has announced that they’re going to do nine drive-through sites in Florida.” One of those nine sites will be at a Walgreens in Jupiter. The governor also stated that CVS will soon be announcing plans to offer testing.
