There Are Now 29 Long-Term Care COVID-19 Cases In Escambia. Pensacola Mayor Says He’d Like The Facility Name Released.

April 13, 2020

Concern is growing among family members with loved ones in long-term care facilities in Escambia County after the Florida Department of Health reported that there are now 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents or staff.

The FDOH won’t say which facilities have the cases, and Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley has said the county is not allowed to release facility names. She said that can only be released by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees.

Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said Monday morning that has has no authority to name the facility with the COVID-19 cases, but he believes it is in the city limits.

“I don’t think this is the right decision at all for us to be doing and not publicizing,” Robinson said during a virtual press conference from his home. He’s still on self-quarantine after his son was confirmed to have the virus.

“I realize that there is a challenge in that everybody in that nursing home is not going to have it and has the potential to create more panic,” he said. “When you just simply say it’s a nursing home in the Pensacola area, what you said is much more concerning.”

Robinson said at least the FDOH should release the zip code of the facility.

“It’s not trying to create a panic at that institution, but it is at least trying to assure other individuals that have loved ones either at an ALF or a nursing home to understand they don’t have a challenge there. Certainly everyone is one edge and it would have been better for us to identify where this was occuring,” the mayor said.

There were total of 962 COVID-19 cases in Florida’s long-term care facilities as of Thursday.

Comments

11 Responses to “There Are Now 29 Long-Term Care COVID-19 Cases In Escambia. Pensacola Mayor Says He’d Like The Facility Name Released.”

  1. Dwn on April 14th, 2020 9:41 am

    Wow, Mr Reality. Less than subtle statement there.

    Also contributing to the risk of spread are patriot movement, 3%, yellow snake flag, whatever people ignoring social distancing, and a number of large and small evangelical churches doing the same. (Yes, many evangelical churches, mostly smaller independents, are still meeting on Sunday mornings. Just drive around and see for yourself.). These groups work at elder care facilities, too.

    Rest assured, anyone, including those NOT at the now infamous BBQ event, nor those in alt-right political and religious movements, could spread this virus into elder care centers.

    Call it political correctness. I call it reality.

  2. L. B. on April 14th, 2020 7:44 am

    Mr. REALITY YOU SOUND LIKE SOMEONE WHO KNOW THE IDENITY OF THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THESE FACILITIES. LET’S NOT FORGET THAT THESE EMPLOYEES ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE ALSO TO CARE FOR THESE INDIVISUALS. SOME THINGS WILL NEVER BE OVER WITH INDIVISUALS LIKE YOU IN THIS WORLD. GROW UP, GET OVER IT.

  3. Susan on April 14th, 2020 1:46 am

    This should definitely be public knowledge. I have relatives in facilities and I am not relying on their Admin. to step up if they don’t have to. At this point I have a hard time believing it’s just one. @ Nonya can you cite where you got the information ‘“the nursing facility is legally obligated to confirm to the family if they have a confirmed case?” IMO will only cause panic and chaos if you are an Administrator. ( Are you btw? ) Personally, though there may be nothing I could do for my loved ones I would like to know ASAP which facilities are affected.

  4. MR REALITY on April 13th, 2020 11:14 pm

    Well since all of them are CLOSED to visitors WE CAN ONLY BLAME the staff. Most of the staff were probably at the easter day BBQ in pcola on sunday so you can see how it spreads so easily.

  5. fisherman on April 13th, 2020 8:08 pm

    @Delivery driver
    You could have already came in contact with someone who may have the virus and not know it and the individual who you were in contact with may not know it either it’s called Asymptomatic Carrier.Everyone needs to take precaution and try not to get into each others face.It’s the fluid that comes out of your mouth when speaking and coughing that is spreading the virus.When you wear a mask you are actually protecting the people you come into contact with. Everyone needs to practice good hygiene.

  6. Delivery driver on April 13th, 2020 4:33 pm

    One of the reasons it should be public is because a few of these places still have staff calling for food deliveries or they receive mail and it would help stop the spread to disclose which homes or businesses are testing positive on this scale. Someone should know if they’ve possibly come in contact with a nurse, patient, etc. in a facility with numerous cases because they could have taken it back to work or home. It’s not just about the families of the patients knowing.

  7. Bewildered on April 13th, 2020 4:06 pm

    statement from the mayor could have been short and sweet: family members of all infected patients have already been notified by the facilities.
    Glad fisherman and CBS settled it.

  8. Tammy on April 13th, 2020 3:55 pm

    I believe the public has the right to know which facilities are affected, we already have panic and paranoia going on due to the numbers that are posted daily and the media televising and cutting into programs daily. My father resides in a facility, and I have not received a call about covid-19 but did receive a call to move him to a private room due to him having to go out 3 times weekly for dialysis. I totally agreed with the facility. I understand the risk.

  9. fisherman on April 13th, 2020 2:48 pm

    The families of the patients who reside in these facilities already know as a staff member has already called them to let them know. All patients are confined to their respective rooms no one is leaving their rooms.I know as I have a family member in one of the facilities.If you have a family member in a facility and you were not called relax you are ok.

  10. nonya on April 13th, 2020 1:26 pm

    Why is this necessary? The nursing facility is already legally obligated to disclose that information to the family if the institution has a confirmed case. This will just cause panic and chaos

  11. CBS on April 13th, 2020 12:27 pm

    I know one of them…and any family member on the contact list for a patient at a nursing home knows what facility(ies). It’s not a secret.