FL state parks open events canceled

[agesilaus]

The safety and welfare of our employees and the public we serve are top priority to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). DEP continues to take proactive measures and preventative actions to protect visitors, staff and volunteers as COVID-19 continues to be monitored.

Currently, all Florida State Parks remain open to the public. However, out of an abundance of caution, DEP has made the decision to cancel all events and activities effective immediately.

This decision is in line with guidance from the CDC for the public to avoid the gathering of large groups. The department will provide updates when events and activities will resume.

For the protection of our staff and our day-use visitors, all state parks have been provided with signage and guidance on preventative actions to reduce transmission of respiratory illness. All staff are fully informed and utilizing the protocol urged by the CDC and Florida Department of Health. Surfaces and areas that are frequently touched are consistently disinfected throughout the day, and all facilities are regularly and thoroughly cleaned to protect visitor safety.

The schools here in Alachua County are now closed a week before spring break for students. Staff will be "deep cleaning" the school buildings.

This is beyond idiotic right now. There has been ONE reported case in the county.

[fj12ryder]

It's called triage.

[BarabooBob]

For those that think the government is going to solve this quickly. Things have gotten so bad in Italy that they have set up official triage strategies to limit the use of ventilators and associated medical care. In Italy, if a hospital has more cases requiring ventilators than they have ventilators, anyone over 80 years old or that has underlying health issues will be kept comfortable until they die. No kidding, look it up.

[troubledwaters]

PastorCharlie wrote:
Children are primary carriers of virus and elderly are primary victims of virus.

You're just as likely to be a carrier as children are.

[TechWriter]

AJR wrote:
Sure would be nice if they knew the parameters of this thing this time around.

At 77 I know many good folks at extreme risk, maybe…

Advice from the CDC

[Retired_JSO]

For the OP info, the Florida State Board of Education closed ALL Florida schools as of 5 pm Friday until, March 27.. You like many others have no idea what this so called pandemic can do but the researchers, doctors and hospitals are concerned. In 1968, all US Military personnel were ordered to take the vaccine for the Hong Kong Flu. This flu caused over 40,000 deaths in the US alone in less than one year. Many of us servicemen and women, estimated around 140,000 experienced the flu after vaccination because it was a live vaccine. I was sick for 28 days. So don’t express your perceived thoughts if you haven’t walked the walk.

[AJR]

Sure would be nice if they knew the parameters of this thing this time around.

At 77 I know many good folks at extreme risk, maybe…

[agesilaus]

As a comparison, the 2009 Swine Flu pandemmic is the US:

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that swine flu infected nearly 61 million people in the United States and caused 12,469 deaths. 2
? Worldwide, up to 575,400 people died from pandemic swine flu.3?" It also caused 100,000 hospitalizations. Don't recall it, that's because the press at the time downplayed it and did not cause a panic.

[CavemanCharlie]

PatJ wrote:

Deb and Ed M wrote:

All these cancellations and bans are designed to NOT overwhelm the hospitals with sick people: if a hospital has 40 ventilators, and 50 people need them - then what? Do YOU want to pick who is liable to die?

One point that is being missed by many is healthcare staffing. My wife and I both work in healthcare, at different hospitals in our area. We also have school-age children. I am part of EP planning at my hospital and have been to all the meetings discussing this. 40% of the hospital staff has school-age children without alternate childcare i.e. they are staying home with schools closing.

In your example, 25 of the ventilators will likely sit unused because half of the ICU is closed due to staffing shortages. Working in healthcare is different than working for Google, Nursing and RT can't work remotely from home. And healthcare employees are knowledgeable enough about this they aren't sending their kids to Grandma's.

I have been thinking about that for some time. I know they would never do this. But,,, if we assume everyone is going to get sick wouldn't it be best to take volunteers from the health care workers and expose them to the virus right away ? Then they could get over it be able to help others.

[PatJ]

Deb and Ed M wrote:

All these cancellations and bans are designed to NOT overwhelm the hospitals with sick people: if a hospital has 40 ventilators, and 50 people need them - then what? Do YOU want to pick who is liable to die?

One point that is being missed by many is healthcare staffing. My wife and I both work in healthcare, at different hospitals in our area. We also have school-age children. I am part of EP planning at my hospital and have been to all the meetings discussing this. 40% of the hospital staff has school-age children without alternate childcare i.e. they are staying home with schools closing.

In your example, 25 of the ventilators will likely sit unused because half of the ICU is closed due to staffing shortages. Working in healthcare is different than working for Google, Nursing and RT can't work remotely from home. And healthcare employees are knowledgeable enough about this they aren't sending their kids to Grandma's.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

agesilaus wrote:


This is beyond idiotic right now. There has been ONE reported case in the county.

But it's spreading exponentially. The FL Dep't of Health said they added 25 new cases overnight.

All these cancellations and bans are designed to NOT overwhelm the hospitals with sick people: if a hospital has 40 ventilators, and 50 people need them - then what? Do YOU want to pick who is liable to die?

Out of courtesy to my neighbors/the immune-compromised/the elderly....I'm going to treat this as if it would kill me. If *I* am being careful, I'm probably protecting someone else, too.

[Tyler0215]

Better to be watched by the MIL than in a daycare center with a dozen other little carriers.

[pasusan]

^^ Tell that to my brother-in-law. He thinks kids *don't* get this and he's got his kid being babysat by my mother-in-law who will be 87 in May.

Hubby and I are livid!


As far as events being canceled - that's a better idea than shutting down overnight camping.

[PastorCharlie]

Children are primary carriers of virus and elderly are primary victims of virus.

[agesilaus]

wnjj wrote:
I think the point of limiting the gatherings is to prevent an outbreak, not respond to it. Someone at a large gathering is more and more likely each day to have it and that means someone else likely will afterwards.

One case now. You’ll have plenty soon enough. Florida probably has a disproportionate share of elderly as well.

That is a point.