Manatee County expected to declare state of emergency over coronavirus
Manatee County commissioners will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday to consider declaring a local state of emergency in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The county’s decision comes after four Manatee County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, including two new cases announced early Saturday by the Florida Department of Health.
A 67-year-old Manatee County woman is thought to have contracted the disease through domestic travel, but a case involving a 62-year-old Manatee County woman was not travel-related. The women were among 25 new cases announced by the state DOH early Saturday. Early Sunday, 39 more Florida cases were announced.
Declaring a local state of emergency allows “government officials the ability to respond more quickly and efficiently to meet needs related to the coronavirus when they arise in our community,” the county said in a press release.
It also allows the county to apply for federal reimbursement for local emergency spending.
Other increased emergency measures are already underway.
The State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee activated at a “Level 2” status on Friday and directed all 67 counties in Florida to do the same.
The Manatee County Emergency Operations Center will activate at 8:30 a.m. Monday, according to a memo sent to officials and staff by County Administrator Cheri Coryea.
Starting Monday, the Manatee EOC will be operated in person each weekday until 11:30 a.m. as the county’s emergency officials coordinate with local medical, fire and law enforcement representatives and the Manatee Department of Health to mitigate COVID-19.
At the direction of the state, the Manatee EOC will also begin offering assistance to local skilled nursing and assisted living facilities that may be in need of personal protective equipment and other aid.
The county is also implementing measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus across all 12 of its departments.
They include flexible work schedules and remote work coordination for employees, conducting meetings over the phone or internet and designating centralized entrances at county buildings with sanitizing products in place.
Manatee County residents can text “ManateeReady” to 888-777 for local updates on COVID-19. They can also ask questions of the Manatee County Health Department by calling 941-242-6649 or the state health department at 866-779-6121.
This story was originally published March 15, 2020 at 6:23 PM.