Coronavirus updates: Here’s what to know in Bradenton and Manatee County on April 3
More COVID-19 cases in Manatee, Sarasota
Three Manatee County residents are among the more than 200 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the state by the Florida Department of Health on Thursday morning.
Manatee County now has 73 residents who have tested positive for the new coronavirus.
Statewide there are now 8,010 total cases. There were 27 more deaths reported Thursday, in Broward, Clay, Dade, Duval, Flagler, Hillsborough, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties, bringing the death toll to 128 as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
In Sarasota County, there was one new COVID-19 case reported Thursday morning, bringing the county’s total of cases to 100.
Manatee County Commission to consider nightly curfew
Manatee County public safety and political officials are recommending the county commission enact a curfew to further aid Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stay-at-home order.
The executive order, announced Wednesday, was set to go into effect early Friday morning. It urges people to stay home by only allowing travel to essential businesses. To help with enforcement, the Board of County Commissioners will meet Friday afternoon to consider a 10 p.m.-to-5 a.m. daily nighttime curfew.
An effective date for the new curfew has not been decided. Further details will be discussed at Friday’s meeting, which will be streamed online at www.mymanatee.org/mga.
The proposed curfew would prohibit non-essential travel, which is defined as any trip that isn’t for food, medicine, essential supplies or employment, according to a release from Manatee County Government. It is being proposed by the Emergency Policy Group, which is comprised of the county administrators, local mayors and police chiefs and the sheriff.
“We feel it’s important that the public takes the message seriously and at heart,” Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur told the Bradenton Herald. “As we move forward with the governor’s executive order, law enforcement has all the tools necessary to enforce this order.”
If commissioners approve the curfew, any violation could result in someone being charged with a second-degree misdemeanor.
Need a job? Look here
Just ahead of of this week’s surge in unemployment insurance claims, business organizations in Manatee and Sarasota counties reported they have joined forces to connect displaced workers with employers.
Employers can post jobs while workers displaced by the coronavirus pandemic can search for them at jobfocus.com, a service hosted by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that 227,000 Florida workers had filed unemployment claims for the week ending March 28, compared to 74,313 a week earlier.
Nationally, there were 6.6 million claims, double the number the previous week, according to Labor Department figures.
“Nineteen new positions were added to the site today,” said Jacki Dezelski, president and CEO of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. “It’s an additional tool to help those in the Manatee-Sarasota area.”
Also, here is a link to more information about applying for unemployment benefits in Florida.
Nurses protest at Blake Medical Center
Nurses at Blake Medical Center say hospital officials are not properly protecting staff and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a protest Thursday morning, nurses say there is a complete lack of transparency and communication from hospital administrators and often, they are kept out of the loop when it comes to patients who are COVID-19 positive or awaiting test results.
“The nurses have no idea which ones are positive and which ones are negative and they are treating them separately,” said Victoria Holland who has been at Blake for two years as a nurse.
Kim Brooks has been a nurse for 35 year, including 14 years with Blake. She’s also currently suspended because she wore her own N95 mask and refused to take it off when she was told to remove it.
“I’m out here for the patients and for the nurses’ safety,” Brooks said. “We feel like the hospital has let us down as far as safety standards. They’ve had lots of time. They knew about this pandemic in January. They’ve had lots of time to prepare to get ample supplies and I feel like they’ve let us down.”
Organizations offering help
Resources are available to help struggling Manatee County residents through the COVID-19 pandemic. Opportunities also exist to support local relief efforts, which are facing a sudden and overwhelming demand.
With all schools closed through May 1, area students might struggle to find their daily lunch, and parents may need child care while they continue working. Other residents are losing work hours or jobs with the restrictions placed on restaurants and bars.
Here is a list of some of the organizations offering help.
Need help paying rent or utility bills? Check out the groups listed here.
Bradenton restaurants offering take-home and delivery services
The Bradenton Herald has published a list of restaurants offering take out and/or delivery services during the coronavirus pandemic.
Also, feel free to leave the names, addresses and phone numbers of other restaurants, either as a comment on our Facebook page or on the page for the Manatee Eats group.
Tips to protect yourself from the coronavirus
There’s no vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, and experts say one may be months away from mass production.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, staying home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
The agency also advises washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
The CDC does not advise that healthy people wear face masks, but says they should be worn by coronavirus patients to help avoid spreading the illness.
The latest closings and cancellations
Numerous businesses and organizations in Bradenton have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. For a list of closings, cancellations and postponements, check out our list.
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM.