FDOH-Escambia 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic

from FDOH-Escambia 2020 Year in Review

FDOH-Escambia 2020 Locations

COVID-19 Pandemic

The year 2020 will be remembered as a time of unprecedented challenges and changes for FDOH-Escambia. We faced an unimaginable threat, as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) dominated the year 2020. Words like quarantine, PPE, social distancing, and masking became words of everyday conversation. The impact of COVID-19 has demonstrated FDOH-Escambia’s continued commitment to public health. FDOH-Escambia staff have had and continue to have an important role in keeping the public safe and healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a look at how the pandemic progressed and how FDOH-Escambia responded to COVID-19 in our community.

Timeline for 2020

January 9th: WHO Issues Global Health Emergency

January 21st: CDC Confirms First US Coronavirus Case February 2020 3

January 31st: WHO Announces Mysterious Coronavirus-Related Pneumonia in Wuhan, China

February 3rd: US Declares Public Health Emergency

March 1st: DOH Declaration of Public Health Emergency as Virus Reaches Florida

March 1st: The Florida Department of Health announced there were two presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Florida.

March 5th:First Press Conference in Escambia County and COVID Information Line Established by FDOH

March 5th Baptist Health Care hosted a press conference related to the first case in Escambia County, Florida. Dr. Lanza participated and provided disease surveillance and contact tracing plans.

March 10th: First Community Partnership Presentation.

March 10th: Dr. Lanza gave a community presentation on COVID-19 in a meeting of community partners. Dr. Lanza’s presentation addressed preparedness, containment, and mitigation strategies for COVID-19.

March 11th: WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic Interstate COVID-19 Checkpoint

March 13th: Trump Declares COVID-19 a National Emergency and Escambia County Establishes JIC

March 13th: Escambia County established a Joint Information Center. In 2020, ESF-8 was activated and filled over 450 resource requests from LTCs/ALFs, Hospitals, physician’s offices and clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Requests included PPE, COVID-19 testing kits, and infection control specialist to limit the spread.

March 24th: FDOH-Escambia Implements Telework Measures to Mitigate Spread

March 25th: Public Health Advisory for COVID-19 as a result of Executive Order 20-83

March 25th: Executive Order 20-83 re: Protective Measures for Vulnerable Populations, Gatherings of Private Citizens and Density of the Workforce

March 27th: FDOH-Escambia Continues to Provide Services with limited public access to buildings

March 28th: FDOH-Escambia’s team members worked at the I-10 COVID-19 Checkpoint in collaboration with FHP and FDOT. Motorists were screened as they entered Florida. All travelers that were coming from states with known community spread of COVID-19 were informed of the Governor’s executive order to self-isolate for 14 days. An estimated 420 drivers went through a level 2 screening during this time.

FDOH-Escambia’s Environmental Health and Public Health Preparedness team members worked at the I-10 COVID-19 Checkpoint Team members included: Aric Porter, Shane Bragg, James Brough, Dennis Bratten, Chris Bavuso, Jimmy Petty, Don Moore, Greg Berrian, Josh Richards, Jake Gallman, Nik Hicks, and LeeAnn Lutz.

PICTURED BELOW: FDOH-Escambia’s Environmental Health and Public Health Preparedness team members worked at the I-10 COVID-19 Checkpoint Team members included: Aric Porter, Shane Bragg, James Brough, Dennis Bratten, Chris Bavuso, Jimmy Petty, Don Moore, Greg Berrian, Josh Richards, Jake Gallman, Nik Hicks, and LeeAnn Lutz.

April 1st: Measures to Support Long-Term Care Facilities

April 1st: COVID-19 long-term care facilities outreach began to 50 LTC facilities. FDOH-Escambia monitors implementation of the CDC’s guidelines by facilitating daily communication and conducting readiness assessments with each Escambia County longterm care facility

May 21st: FDOH-Escambia Opens Testing in Pensacola

May 21st: FDOH-Escambia coordinated with community partners to expand specimen collection for COVID-19 to meet daily targets. FDOH-Escambia began testing via point of testing sites to exceed the goal of the May2Day program set by Florida’s Governor. The goal was for CHDs to test 2% of their county’s population each month, 235/day for Escambia County. Escambia managed to maintain 2%-4.2% of residents tested. FDOHEscambia’s testing site tested 13,819 Florida residents in the 7-month span.

**FDOH-Escambia team members at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at PSC.**

June 22nd: Public Health Advisory for COVID-19 re: Updated Measures to Ensure Protection of Public Health in Response to COVID-19

July 21st: Public Health Advisory for COVID-19 re: Updated Measures to Ensure Protection of Public Health in Response to COVID-19

August 31st: FDOH-Escambia Modified Clinic Workstations with Protective Glass Barriers

**Immunization check-in with new protective glass barriers.**

September 16th: Hurricane Sally Made Landfall

September 16th: COVID-19 protocols at the shelters made hurricane response a little different this year. See page 31 for more on Hurricane Sally.

November 18th: Drive Thru Flu Vaccination Event Prepping for COVID-19 Vaccine

December 11th: FDA Agrees to EUA for COVID-19 Vaccine from Pfizer, BioNTech 23

December 18th: FDA Signs Off on EUA for Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine

December 23rd: FDOH-Escambia Began Administration of COVID-19 Vaccine

December 23rd: FDOH-Escambia received the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine by mid-December and vaccinated 484 people before the New Year. The target population vaccinated were residents 65+ and healthcare personnel with direct patient contact.