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1. Letter from the Mayor

On March 4, 2020 the Mayor of the City of Pembroke Pines, Mayor Frank Ortis, composed a letter to Pembroke Pines residents. (Letter from the Mayor)

2. What information do I need to know to remain safe?

The Florida Department of Health, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are suggesting some common-sense precautions that you can take that apply to many infectious diseases. The most important is frequent hand washing with soap and water or use of alcohol-based hand rubs (see Prevention & Treatment https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html and Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings https://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/). You also should avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unclean hands and encourage people around you to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. 

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has provided a summary of facts that can assist in understanding and preparing for Coronoavirus. (Read More...)

3. How many cases of COVID-19 have been reported to the Florida Department of Health?

To see the latest case count please visit the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 page

4. What are the symptoms?

Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:

• Fever
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing

Read about COVID-19 Symptoms from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

5. How are educational institutions responding?

Here are a few resources. (This may not necessarily include all Public or Private Charter Schools, Parochial and other private schools.) Click each title for information from that group. Please call schools directly to obtain information on their procedures.   

• Pembroke Pines Charter Schools:  The actions of the Pembroke Pines Charter Schools Governing Board will only apply to the four elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school in which they are responsible.
• Broward County Public Schools:  The actions of the Broward County School Board may apply only to the schools in which they govern. Click this Parent Guide for details.   
• College and Universities: There are multiple institutions of higher education including community colleges, state colleges and universities as well as private colleges throughout Broward County. This resource contains the link to most institutions within the State of Florida.
• CDC Regarding Schools:  You can help protect your family from COVID-19 by practicing and promoting everyday healthy habits. If an outbreak occurs in your community, your school may dismiss students to prevent further spread of the virus. 
• Florida Department of Education: 

6. I think I am in the HIGH RISK group. What should I do?

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has detailed information on their website, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html 

Here are a few items from that website:

• Take everyday preventive actions
  • Clean your hands often
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
  • If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.
  • Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.
  • Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.
  • Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones)
  • Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.
  • Avoid all non-essential travel including plane trips, and especially avoid embarking on cruise ships.

7. Should I be concerned about my pets getting the virus?

While this virus seems to have emerged from an animal source, it is now spreading from person-to-person. The Florida Department of Health and CDC recommend that people traveling to China avoid animals both live and dead, but there is no reason to think that any animals or pets in the United States might be a source of infection with this new coronavirus.  For more information, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov.

8. How can I report price gouging?

Contact the State of Florida Attorney General

9. What is the status of COVID19?

For the latest situation report please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html.

10. What is a State of Emergency?

A State of Emergency can occur and be declared on National, State, County and City levels.

A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to perform actions or impose policies that it would normally not be permitted to undertake. A government can declare such a state during a disaster, civil unrest, or armed conflict. Such declarations alert citizens to change their normal behavior and orders government agencies to implement emergency plans.

A state governor or local mayor may declare a state of emergency within his or her jurisdiction. This is common at the state level in response to natural disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maintains a system of assets, personnel and training to respond to such incidents.

11. Has there been a Declaration of Emergency?

On March 9, 2020, the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for COVID-19 (Coronavirus Declaration of Emergency)