LEDE: Health officials say more than 30,000 Florida residents died of COVID-19, but hospitalizations and cases have continued to decline – including in northwest Florida, according to Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson.
During his weekly virtual press conference on Monday morning, Robinson praised the general decline in cases and hospitalizations in recent days. Over time, cases have dropped below the seven percent limit.
“We were at 5.21% on February 20, which goes from 5.67; 2.89, [and] 5.2 ”, said the mayor. “Therefore, being at 5% is very good; anything under seven, less than six, is really taking us back to where we need to be. “
COVID-19 hospitalizations at the top three hospitals – Baptist, West Florida and Sacred Heart – are also on the decline.
“[Sunday] they were at 104; they hovered at that level – 107, 108, 113 and now 104, ”said Robinson. “We hope to reach double digits soon. And if we get those things done, we’ll start to see what we can do – mask ordinances and other measures – to alleviate that. But we must continue to observe what is happening. “
If the downward trend continues, the mayor says there may be some changes in the city’s reaction to the virus.
“We can work with citizens; be less restrictive; [but] if things go up, we have to go back to good habits and keep doing that ”, said the mayor. “So, we are continuing to work on this; we will stay on top of everything that is happening with COVID. “
At the moment, the key – as is the case across the country – are vaccines and their availability. Bad weather last week delayed shipments to the Florida Department of Health. The agency expects to receive 2,500 doses of the Modern vaccine this week.
Locally, work is underway to reschedule last week’s commitments for this week as shipments arrive.
“The Sacred Heart will have 400 [doses], Batista will have 400, ”said Robinson. “Community Health will have 800; DOH-Escambia 500, West Florida 200 and experts in Woodland 200 ”.
More information is available at escambiahealth.com.
“Do not contact the providers directly for these inquiries,” said Robinson. “They will work with you.”
Concerns about the disparity between whites and minorities in distribution continue to be expressed across the country. In the Florida Panhandle, Robinson says the problem at the moment is supply, not distribution.
“When I look at the distribution, I think we have a very good cross section across the county of Escambia,” said the mayor. “I think part of that was also: ‘What we do to guarantee to all members of the community that there is an opportunity and that it is safe to get the vaccine. And it will be necessary. “
It is vital, says the mayor, that health officials and the city work with the black community to ensure that a vaccine – whether Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson or another – is available to everyone.
“I think we need to work with partners like the black pastoralist alliance that is really working to make sure everyone understands the importance of getting the vaccine,” said Robinson. “And that while vaccines have had some stigma in some of our communities, we need to look beyond that and really work together on this one.”
Later on Monday, DOH-Escambia County announced that more vaccine is on its way to the Pensacola area. One thousand doses for the Health Department; 900 each for Sacred Heart and Baptist, Community Health Center 1,600, West Florida Hospital 400 doses and Woodlands 200.