LEDE: Health officials say more than 30,000 Florians have died from 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 drop in the total number of cases and hospitalizations in recent days. During this time, cases fell below seven percent.
“I was at 5.21% on February 20, which goes from 5.67; 2.89, [and] 5.2 “, said the mayor.” So being at 5% is very good; anything under seven, under six really takes us back to where we need to be “.
COVID-19 hospitalizations at the three major hospitals – Baptist, West Florida and Sacred Heart – are also declining.
“[Sunday] were at 104; they hovered at that level – 107, 108, 113 and now 104, ”Robinson said. “We hope to reach two figures soon. And if we get these things, we’ll start looking at what we can do – mask the ordinance and other measures – to make them easier. But we must continue to watch what happens. “
If the downward trend continues, the mayor says there could be some changes in the city’s reaction to the virus.
“We can work with citizens; be less restrictive; [but] if things go well, we must return to our good habits and continue to do so, ”said the mayor. “So we continue to work through this; we will keep up to date with everything that happens with COVID ”.
Currently, the key – as is the case at national level – is vaccines and their availability. The inclement weather last week delayed shipments to the Florida Department of Health. The agency expects to receive 2,500 doses of Moderna vaccine this week.
Locally, work is underway to reschedule last week’s meetings for this week as deliveries are introduced.
“The Sacred Heart will have 400 [doses]”Baptist will have 400,” Robinson said. “Community health will have 800; DOH-Escambia 500, West Florida 200 and Woodland 200 specialists. ”
More information is available at escambiahealth.com.
“Don’t contact suppliers directly for these meetings,” Robinson said. “They will work with you.”
Concerns about the disparity between whites and minorities in distribution continue to be expressed across the nation. In the Florida Panhandle, Robinson says the problem right now is supply, not distribution.
“When I look at the distribution, I think we have a pretty good cross section in Escambia County,” said the mayor. “I think some of them were also, ‘What are we doing to make sure everyone in the community has an opportunity and is safe to get the vaccine?’ And it will be necessary. ”
It is vital, the mayor says, that health officials and the city work with the black community to make sure a vaccine – whether it’s Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson or something else – is available to everyone.
“I think we need to work with partners like the Black Shepherds Alliance who are really working to make sure everyone understands the importance of vaccine administration,” Robinson said. “And while vaccines have had some stigma in some of our communities, we need to look at and work together on that.”
Later on Monday, DOH-Escambia County announced that several vaccines are on their way to the Pensacola area. One thousand doses for the Department of Health; 900 each for Sacred Heart and Baptist, Community Health Center 1,600, West Florida Hospital 400 doses and Woodlands 200.