Keeping residents and businesses safe is the primary directive in the city’s fight against COVID-19. As such, the City Manager has extended his
State of Emergency Declaration
through April 16, 2020.
The City Manager has also extended the city’s
“Safer at Home” Emergency Order
,
as well as the city’s
Emergency Measures
, through April 16, 2020. Any violation of the aforementioned emergency measures would subject the individual or business entity to criminal penalties.
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COVID-19 Testing for Miami Beach Seniors
Beginning Monday, April 13, the City of Miami Beach will begin offering in-home COVID-19 testing
for homebound Miami Beach seniors that are 65 years and older and are experiencing symptoms
associated with the coronavirus
— including fever, shortness of breath or a persistent cough.
Testing is
by appointment only
and residents who meet the aforementioned criteria should call the city’s customer service center at 305.604.CITY (2489) to request an appointment. The customer service center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Since there are a limited number of tests, the city asks that only seniors that meet the criteria schedule an appointment.
In-home testing for homebound residents is provided by MedRite with the assistance of the Miami Beach Fire Department.
Miami Beach Convention Center to Serve as Alternative Care Facility
Dozens of workers began staggered 12-hour shifts to construct an alternative care facility (ACF) this week at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aims to deploy 450 operational care pods by April 21 as a precautionary measure should Miami-Dade County hospitals experience overflow ahead of Florida’s anticipated peak case count at the end of the month.
The 250,000-square-foot ACF will include 400 10x10 feet general care pods and 50 negative-pressure intensive care pods. Sized at 15x15 feet, the ICU pods can house two patients each. The facility will be staffed with doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and medical personnel as well as 184 Florida National Guard medical team members. The ACF at the MBCC offers the capability to expand to up to 500,000 square feet, doubling patient capacity up to 900 beds.
The Miami Beach Convention Center joins 17 other venues converted by the Army Corps across the nation, contributing to more than 15,000 beds and medical facilities in support of hospital overflow.
Traffic Impacts Around the Miami Beach Convention Center
Convention Center Drive from 17 Street to Dade Boulevard will close in preparation for an alternate care facility at the Miami Beach Convention Center. 18 Street and 19 Street will be partially closed towards Convention Center Drive.
Additionally, drivers on 18 Street will only be able to travel from Meridian Avenue to the garage, and there will be no right turn out of the garage to 18 Street. All of Pride Park will be fenced in during this time.
Miami Beach Police Online Reports
In a continuing effort to reduce the risk of exposing first responders to COVID-19, the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) will begin taking reports for non-priority calls over the phone and online. Police officers will continue to respond to in-progress and priority calls.
Effective immediately, the city’s 911 call center will begin screening eligible calls and provide callers with an option to file a report over the phone or online. The online reporting system is available at
www.YourMBPD.com
under the SERVICES tab. Please continue to dial 911 for emergencies or 305.673.7900 for non-emergencies.
Meals for Heroes
Meals for Heroes is a South Florida based not for profit company providing hospital emergency rooms and ICU’s, EMS and first responder teams, and COVID-19 mobile testing centers with dinner cooked and prepared by local restaurants and caterers. When you donate, you’re not just giving a front line medical worker a hot meal, you’re also putting a cook back to work.
Click
here
to learn more and donate to our hometown heroes.
Miami-Dade Transit Update
Miami-Dade Transit is suspending Metrobus late night service for Miami Beach routes 112/L and 119/S, effective 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 10. The County has launched Go Nightly, which provides an on-demand ride option, in partnership with Lyft and Uber, that will provide service along each of these route alignments between midnight and 5 a.m. Click
here
to read the update from the County.
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Unemployment Applications
“Safer at Home” Option:
To help comply with the “Stay at Home” Emergency Order, the City of Miami Beach will mail unemployment applications along with a prepaid return envelope directly to your home. Simply send your request to
[email protected]
.
Please allow a few days for the application to arrive.
Pick Up Option:
Should you wish to file a claim faster, you have several pick up options:
Unemployment applications are available for pick up at 26 Miami-Dade Public Libraries. Both the Miami Beach Regional Library and North Shore Library will have unemployment applications. Once completed, applications can be dropped off back at the library book drop off where they will be sent overnight to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
Self Printing Option:
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The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) has created an online portal to report their information pertaining to COVID-19 cases in Florida.
Click
here
to view the FDOH's page with more information of their case breakdowns. Please note that per the FDOH website, data in this report is provisional and subject to change.
Commission Meeting
The upcoming Commission meeting being held Wednesday, April 22 will be televised on MBTV and streamed live on
Facebook
.
The Commission Chambers will be closed to the public.
- How to provide spoken public comment during the City Commission Meeting: The public may provide spoken comment by dialing telephone 312.626.6799 or 1.888.475.4499 (Toll Free). The Webinar ID is 235797272#. Press *9 to raise a hand to be placed in queue to speak.
- How to submit written public comment before the City Commission Meeting: The public may submit written comments by sending an email to [email protected] by 5 p.m. the day before the Commission Meeting. Please identify the Agenda Item Number in the email subject line. Emails received will be forwarded to the Mayor and Commissioners and will be included as a part of the meeting record.
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Mobile Testing Center
MedRite has launched a mobile testing center in Miami Beach. Pre-registration is required, please visit
www.medriteurgentcare.com/covid/
to make your appointment.
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Face Coverings
The
City of Miami Beach is requiring
all employees and customers of grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurant facilities to wear a form of covering over their nose and mouth at all times
when inside these establishments. The same requirement applies to individuals providing delivery services.
Acceptable coverings may include a face mask, homemade mask or other cloth covering, such as a scarf, bandana or handkerchief, and should complement — not substitute for — social distancing practices.
Medical and surgical face masks, such as “N95” masks, are in short supply and should be reserved for health care personnel and other first responders with the greatest need for such personal protective equipment.
Not sure how to make your own? View a how-to guide from the CDC
here
.
Virtual Cultural Offerings
Feeling the cabin fever? Our cultural partners are busy coming up with creative ways to share their art and culture with you! Click
here
to view all there is to experience virtually in Miami Beach and view this week's Virtual Culture newsletter
here
.
Looking for fun activities for your little ones? The Children's Trust Stay Home website is filled with activities, audio books for the kids, coloring books featuring Romero Britto artwork and more. Click
here
to start playing today.
Customer Service
Our city hotline at 305.604.CITY (2489) is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. You can also email your questions to
[email protected]
.
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To help keep you informed on the latest details of this ever evolving COVID-19
pandemic
,
the city has created a dedicated, city-related coronavirus webpage. We encourage you to continuously visit
www.miamibeachfl.gov/coronavirus
f
or the most up-to-date information, including a list of
frequently asked questions
,
important resources, impacts to city services and more.
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The City of Miami Beach remains committed to ensuring the safety and public health of our residents, visitors and local businesses. As the information is changing rapidly pertaining to COVID-19, the administration is conducting daily interdepartmental calls to monitor the progression of novel coronavirus COVID-19 to ensure that we stay informed and prepared to respond if needed. We are also closely following the guidelines provided by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
and the
Florida Department of Health
(FDOH).
Below is an ongoing summary of updates from the City of Miami Beach.
Miami Beach Resource Center
Many businesses and their employees have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. In order to help navigate through the wealth of resources available, the City of Miami Beach has launched a Resource Center to provide guidance through this challenging time.
To request assistance, please email
[email protected]
with your contact information and needs. All inquiries will be responded to via phone or email by a Resource Agent.
Impacted City Services
All departments in City Hall are open virtually and telephonically. Effective, Monday, April 6, all city departments that had been public-facing, including the Finance Department, City Clerk Office and Public Works Department, will be closed until further notice. Visit the “
Other Impacted City Services
” tab on the city’s COVID-19 webpage at
www.miamibeachfl.gov/coronavirus
for information on how to reach each department.
Impacted Meetings/Events
COVID-19 Quarantine Response Team
In response to the Florida Governor’s Executive Orders (20-82 and 20-86) all persons entering the State of Florida from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Louisiana must isolate or quarantine for fourteen (14) days from the time of entry into the State of Florida. Should you have intimate knowledge of a person(s) who may be in violation of the Governor’s Executive Orders, you should notify the Miami Beach Police Department at 305.673.7901. The newly created team of Officers will respond at an appropriate time to remind, investigate and enforce the Governor’s executive orders.
Miami Beach Restaurants - Takeout and Delivery
The City of Miami Beach revised its Emergency Order — maintaining the general curfew throughout the city beginning at midnight each night, but
now permitting restaurants to continue to operate their kitchens after midnight, for delivery services only
.
Meals for Seniors
If you are a senior citizen 65 years or older and are having problems getting meals,
please call Miami-Dade County’s 311 Call Center between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m
. and you will be immediately patched in with their Emergency Operations Center to get you the meals or other services that you may need. If you are not a senior, we still encourage you to share this message with any senior you may know.
Sanitary Measures
We are continuing to ensure our city facilities are being thoroughly cleaned. This includes the daily effort of wiping down every touch surface such as door handles, elevator push buttons and handrails. Cleaning contractors are also providing additional training to staff to ensure proper cleaning techniques are utilized.
Business Assistance & Resources
View some
helpful tools
and resources for businesses expected to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including information on
Governor DeSantis' Florida Small Business Emergency Loan Program and more on our dedicated
business portal
.
Prevention Starts With You
The CDC urges everyone to do their part to help during this emerging public health threat, this includes:
- Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
- Take personal responsibility. If you are sick with a fever, cough or viral symptoms, please stay away from others, including the work environment and crowded areas
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 such as:
During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community,
stay home
as much as possible.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, you can learn more about prevention and treatment by
visiting the CDC website
.
Stay Informed
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