SPECIAL EDITION • COVID–19 UPDATES
GAZETTE MARCH 23, 2020
MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR Dear Surfside Residents,
We have, through no fault of our own, found ourselves dropped into a global humanitarian crisis. The heretofore unknown COVID-19 outbreak, otherwise known as the coronavirus, has gone from an obscure news item, which originated in China, to a worldwide pandemic, which now is threatening our Country and by extension, Surfside. As a result of the threat to our State and our Community, our Governor & County Mayor have taken decisive action.
And there are many details which can be found at: http://www.miamidade.gov/global/initiatives/coronavirus/home.page I wanted to share with you what I thought were the most notable aspects of those actions. They include: 1) The closure of all schools, beaches, parks and recreational facilities.
2) The closure of all non-essential retail and commercial establishments, including bars and restaurants. Many however can remain open for takeout and delivery service only. 3) Hotels, motels, short-term vacation rentals and other commercial lodging cannot accept new reservations, except for “essential lodgers.” 4) Rafting or boats tying up together at sandbars and the like is prohibited.
5) As of now there are some curfews in place, but not in Surfside unless you are under the age of 17.
To fight the battle against this virus, the full force of the Federal, State, County and Surfside government is laser focused on one goal – to protect our residents, get this virus under control and then beat it!
Your new Surfside Town Commission has only been on the job for five days, but since day one, it has been 100% engaged with all of the above-mentioned authorities, and stands ready to protect and serve the residents of our Town.
I, along with your other elected officials, are available 24/7 to answer your questions and take whatever action we can to assist you through this difficult time – please do not hesitate to contact us – it’s what we are here for.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that we are all in this together and it’s going to take a team effort to try to quickly beat this virus. At left are five easy steps to think about, as you go through your day, to help the effort. Stay calm, stay home and stay safe.
– Mayor Charles W. Burkett
Congratulations to the 2020–22 Surfside Commission
The results of the March 17, 2020 Town Election are in and the new Commission members were sworn in at Town Hall on March 18. Congratulations to the elected officials and thanks to the more than 1,200 residents who voted while the Town is in a state of emergency. The 2020-2022 Commission: Charles W. Burkett, Mayor mayor@townofsurfsidefl.gov Tina Paul, Vice Mayor tpaul@townofsurfsidefl.gov Charles Kesl, Commissioner ckesl@townofsurfsidefl.gov (L-R) Commissioner Eliana R. Salzhauer, Commissioner Nelly Velasquez, Eliana R. Salzhauer, Commissioner esalzhauer@townofsurfsidefl.gov Mayor Charles W. Burkett, Vice Mayor Tina Paul and Commissioner Nelly Velasquez, Commissioner nvelasquez@townofsurfsidefl.gov Charles Kesl.
As this is a rapidly changing situation, the information in this special edition of the Surfside Gazette may have changed since going to print. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Town website: www.townofsurfsidefl.gov and sign up for email notifications.
C VID-19
TOWN COMMISSION DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY Following the lead of Miami-Dade County, the Town Commission declared a State of Emergency on March 12, 2020 to help Town leaders and emergency managers expedite their response to the Coronavirus COVID-19. The Town is working closely with Miami-Dade County, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) for guidelines and the latest updates on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As coronavirus outbreaks continue to rise in number, the Town issued a “Safer at Home” emergency order beginning March 24, 2020 urging Surfside residents to stay at home unless absolutely necessary.
WHAT IS COVID-19? Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.
SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE
HOW DOES COVID-19 SPREAD? The virus that causes COVID-19 probably emerged from an animal source, but is now spreading from person to person. The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Learn what is known about the spread
PREVENTION
Patients with COVID-19 have experienced mild to severe respiratory illness.
COUNTY CLOSES ALL PUBLIC BEACHES INCLUDING SURFSIDE
CAN I GET IT? YES COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in parts of the world. Risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19 is higher for people who are close contacts of someone known to have COVID-19, for example healthcare workers, or household members. Other people at higher risk for infection are those who live in or have recently been in an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19.
Help prevent the spread of espiratory diseases like COVID-19.
Stay at home when you are sick except to get medical care.
Avoid touching eyes, nose, & mouth with unwashed hands.
Wash your hands often at least 20 seconds with soap water.
Clean & disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue then throw in the trash.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE if you develop symptoms, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or if you live in or have recently been in an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19.
In accordance with Orders signed by Mayor Carlos Gimenez, all Miami-Dade County parks and public beaches including those in Surfside, are closed until further notice.The hardback and the walking/jogging path remain open.
*Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. www.cdc.gov/COVID19-symptoms
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO cdc.gov/COVID19
ORDER TO CLOSE ALL NON-ESSENTIAL DRIVE–THRU COVID–19 TESTING RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS Drive-thru resting sites for the COVID-19 Additionally, all non-essential retail and commercial establishments have been ordered closed. This includes for example, shops, hotels, salons, casinos, and social clubs. These extraordinary measure are being taken to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
TOWN FACILITIES CLOSED AND PROGRAMS CANCELED OR POSTPONED
Town of Surfside has closed all municipal facilities to the public until further notice. These facilities include Town Hall, Community Center, Tennis Center, 96th Street Park, Tot Lot, and Dog Park. The following programs and/or services have been impacted as a result: All Town meetings, committees, recreation activities, spring adventure camp, community events and after school programs have been either canceled or postponed. Operations for the Surf-Bay-Bal community shuttle bus are currently suspended until further notice. The Town’s Public Works Department will continue to pick-up trash, recycling and bulk items as scheduled.
virus are being set-up in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. The locations will be announced as soon as they are operational. Watch for more details. Visit the Town website: www.townofsurfsidefl.gov.
CDC RECOMMENDS:
• Stock up on supplies including groceries and medicine as needed • Stay six feet away from others and do not congregate in groups of more than 10 people • Stay away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often Avoid crowds • Avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel • Stay home as much as possible during the COVID-19 outbreak • If you are sick, stay home and self monitor your symptoms. If your symptoms include breathing difficulty call your doctor or the Florida Department of Health Miami-Dade Office at (305) 324-2400
As this is a rapidly changing situation, the information in this special edition of the Surfside Gazette may have changed since going to print. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Town website: www.townofsurfsidefl.gov and sign up for email notifications.
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SURFSIDE GAZETTE MARCH 23, 2020
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Resources and tips for Surfside residents
STAY SAFE, STAY HOME AND STAY CALM!
Seniors and people with underlying health conditions are particularly at-risk from the coronavirus. Experts strongly recommend you minimize time spent in close proximity to other people, except for members of your household. Miami-Dade County offers an Emergency & Evacuation Assistance Program MIAMI-DADE (EEAP). The program is for seniors COUNTY PUBLIC and others who may need addiSCHOOLS ARE tional assistance during emergency situations, such as specialized transCLOSED UNTIL portation assistance, safe shelter, APRIL 15, 2020 medical monitoring or wellness checks. To register, visit https:// www8.miamidade.gov/apps/gis/ eeap_publicregistration. In the midst of the corona virus outbreak, grocery stores and pharmacies are offering delivery services and special seniors-only hours. • CVS is offering free deliveries of prescriptions and other store items: To request free delivery, call Surfside’s CVS store: (305) 865-3298 or visit https://www.cvs.com/content/delivery • Walgreens is offering free deliveries of prescriptions: Find more information, including store locations, on https://www.walgreens.com • Publix provides grocery delivery and curbside pickup. It also offers special “seniors only” hours. Set up grocery delivery and pickup online at https:// www.publix.com/locations/73-publix-at-surfside. From 7 am – 8 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Publix stores and pharmacies will be open exclusively to seniors over age 65. Call Surfside’s Publix Store at (305) 865-1263 or the Pharmacy at (305) 865-4378. • Whole Foods provides grocery delivery and has special “seniors only” hours. Customers over age 60 can start shopping one hour before Whole Foods stores open to the general public. Call the North Miami Whole Foods store at (305) 892-5500. • Target is reserving the first hour of shopping every Wednesday for seniors and other guests who are vulnerable to the coronavirus. • JCS (Jewish Community Services of South Florida) is open, providing food, counseling, crisis response and information, and referral services. For assistance, please call 2-1-1 or (305) 576-6550.
GET EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS & CODE RED
If you have access to a computer, visit the Town website and sign up for CodeRed alerts and email notifications at www.townofsurfsidefl.gov. Email notifications and CodeRed will provide you the latest information from the Town and more.
SUPPORT OUR SURFSIDE BUSINESSES WHENEVER POSSIBLE! ENJOY CULTURE AND MORE ONLINE
Amid the stress and uncertainty, it is important to stay physically and mentally active, while keeping connected with family, friends and your community. Here are a few tips: • Instead of an in-person visit, make a phone call, write a letter or send a text or email. • Many organizations are offering classes online and through their Facebook pages. (In most cases, you do not need a Facebook account to tune in.) • Silver Sneakers has a video exercise class specifically for seniors. Find it on their Facebook page. • Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno Beach will have video lessons on sea turtles and other marine life topics. You can watch the lessons live from 2 p.m. Monday-Friday on their Facebook page. Scroll down to “Posts” to tune in. • Frost Art Museum, The Wolfsonian-FIU and Jewish Museum of Florida are offering virtual tours. Check their websites for more information. • The Metropolitan Opera in New York is broadcasting an opera every day at 7:30 pm for free on its website. • Every day, National Public Radio (NPR) posts a list of concerts available online for that date. • Travel and Leisure magazine put together a list of 12 major art museums that offer virtual tours. Visit https://bit.ly/33FxcDj • Free virtual tours of national parks are available for parks including Yellowstone and Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. Visit NPS.gov or search online.
As this is a rapidly changing situation, the information in this special edition of the Surfside Gazette may have changed since going to print. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Town website: www.townofsurfsidefl.gov and sign up for email notifications. MARCH 23, 2020 SURFSIDE GAZETTE
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PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MIAMI, FL PERMIT NO. 457
9293 Harding Avenue Surfside, Florida 33154
SPECIAL EDITION • COVID–19 UPDATES IMPORTANT RESOURCES FOR COVID-19 UPDATES • Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cdc.gov • Florida Department of Health floridahealth.gov • Miami-Dade County miamidade.gov
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools dadeschools.net • Town of Surfside townofsurfsidefl.gov
LINKS FOR CHILDREN
• Coronavirus explained for kids: a story on National Geographic Kids approaches the subject in a clear way written for children: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/general-science/what-is-coronavirus • Virtual Tours of Museums: https://www.travelandleisure.com/ attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours • PBS Kids: https://pbskids.org/video/livetv • Browse and Listen to Free Online Family Radio Stations: http:// www.kidzsearchcom/radio.html • Jungle Island is posting lessons for children on its Facebook page Monday–Friday at 11 am, featuring Everglades Exploration, Spread Your Wings and Primate Practices • Lincoln Center Pop-Up Classroom offers an art workshop weekdays at 10 am using simple materials found at home. Livestream on Lincoln Center’s Facebook page.
TOWN OFFICIALS
BUSINESS NUMBERS
TOWN WEBSITE
Guillermo Olmedillo, Town Manager golmedillo@townofsurfsidefl.gov Lillian Arango, Town Attorney larango@townofsurfsidefl.gov Julio Yero, Police Chief jyero@townofsurfsidefl.gov Sandra Novoa, MMC, Town Clerk novoa@townofsurfsidefl.gov
Town Hall Police Fire Rescue Emergency
www.townofsurfsidefl.gov
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(305) 861-4863 (305) 861-4862 (305) 861-1115 911
SURFSIDE GAZETTE MARCH 23, 2020