What are your plans if coronavirus were to appear in our area?

[SeaFern]

Hi All, not trying to start a panic, but yes, I am concerned. Mostly because no one seems to be recognizing the potential risks of having visitors from all over the US and beyond. It would make it harder to track point of contact, if we do start seeing virus cases. I have a public-facing job and my boss hasn't yet spoken to me about any contingency plans. Has anyone here heard from our Health Dept? I know Okaloosa County has been very proactive. Would like to hear from locals about planning both for personal safety and near future business strategies. thanks!

 

[James Bentwood]

I plan on not touching anyone. Also not touch things other people might have touched. Stay well away from people who are coughing or sneezing. Washing hands often.

All things I have always done but are top of mind now.

 

[Teresa]

South Walton Fire District is a great local source to follow. Facebook post Monday March 9:

Coronavirus Disease 2019

As your Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider for the South Walton area, we are monitoring the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation closely and are staying in regular contact with local and state agencies, health organizations, and other experts.

The health and wellness of our community and our employees is paramount and remains a high priority.

We ask that you also continue to monitor this situation and only receive your information from reliable sources such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website at South Walton Fire District or the CDC at
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary

 

[happy2Bme]

I plan on not touching anyone. Also not touch things other people might have touched. Stay well away from people who are coughing or sneezing. Washing hands often.

I love common sense! Ditto.

All things I have always done but are top of mind now.

 

[Taco-Zero]

Hi All, not trying to start a panic, but yes, I am concerned. Mostly because no one seems to be recognizing the potential risks of having visitors from all over the US and beyond. It would make it harder to track point of contact, if we do start seeing virus cases. I have a public-facing job and my boss hasn't yet spoken to me about any contingency plans. Has anyone here heard from our Health Dept? I know Okaloosa County has been very proactive. Would like to hear from locals about planning both for personal safety and near future business strategies. thanks!

Wow, I just happened upon this post. The date of this post was when I was starting to wonder many of the same talking points. The best that I could find as of today May 31st is ... 451 cases and 18 deaths in FWB, Niceville, Freeport, SRB & PCB combined . I have no idea if those numbers are accurate or honest? I’m not sure that I trust media or the government at this age in my life?
I’ve had family members ( in another state ) that recently survived the virus. One never felt any symptoms (73 years old ) and the other ( 79 ) spent nearly 2 months in the hospital and not only will never be the same ( as a result of the virus ) but might not survive much longer due to conditions the virus contributes to....
The information I’ve been given from nurses has not hit the TV news yet. Everything the nurses have told me was true and eventually hit the news a week or two later each time they told me something new. This virus Covid-19 is nasty to some and leaves people with dangerous side effects afterwards. Ironically, people that are 90 plus years old, seem to survive much better by far than the 65-85 year old age group. I personally think that the 90 plus groups have been on this planet for long enough to take anything Mother Earth has dished out!
I know that only a Military grade respirator can block out the droplets we might breathe in and that most masks ( that are not N95 ) are only good enough to make us feel safe and only block 50% of the droplets ( unless outside ). Please stay safe.

 

[Lake View Too]

Wow, I just happened upon this post. The date of this post was when I was starting to wonder many of the same talking points. The best that I could find as of today May 31st is ... 451 cases and 18 deaths in FWB, Niceville, Freeport, SRB & PCB combined . I have no idea if those numbers are accurate or honest? I’m not sure that I trust media or the government at this age in my life?
I’ve had family members ( in another state ) that recently survived the virus. One never felt any symptoms (73 years old ) and the other ( 79 ) spent nearly 2 months in the hospital and not only will never be the same ( as a result of the virus ) but might not survive much longer due to conditions the virus contributes to....
The information I’ve been given from nurses has not hit the TV news yet. Everything the nurses have told me was true and eventually hit the news a week or two later each time they told me something new. This virus Covid-19 is nasty to some and leaves people with dangerous side effects afterwards. Ironically, people that are 90 plus years old, seem to survive much better by far than the 65-85 year old age group. I personally think that the 90 plus groups have been on this planet for long enough to take anything Mother Earth has dished out!
I know that only a Military grade respirator can block out the droplets we might breathe in and that most masks ( that are not N95 ) are only good enough to make us feel safe and only block 50% of the droplets ( unless outside ). Please stay safe.

Everybody needs to understand that the masks, even basic cotton ones, are meant primarily to stop a significant amount of droplets from being transmitted by an infected person. It's secondary use is stopping the droplets or aerosol virus from being transmitted to an uninfected person. Obviously, the more people wearing masks in public places diminishes the chances of spreading the virus. I know we are all getting weary of being on guard, but we have to remind ourselves to just wear the damn masks as much as possible.The information about the virus staying on surfaces seems to fluxuate, but cleaning hands and surfaces regularly seems obviously a good idea. Studies have shown that up to 80% of infected people may have no symptoms, so you really have to use these precautions around everybody, especially strangers from out of state hotspots.

 

[Leader of the Banned]

Hi All, not trying to start a panic, but yes, I am concerned. Mostly because no one seems to be recognizing the potential risks of having visitors from all over the US and beyond. It would make it harder to track point of contact, if we do start seeing virus cases. I have a public-facing job and my boss hasn't yet spoken to me about any contingency plans. Has anyone here heard from our Health Dept? I know Okaloosa County has been very proactive. Would like to hear from locals about planning both for personal safety and near future business strategies. thanks!

I wouldn't be doing anything differently because for now I'm assuming it's already on the rise. Basically stay away from crowds, shop mostly for essentials, stay away from small indoor spaces, wear a mask.

 

[Kurt]

Riding past the farmers market in Rosemary yesterday I saw a handful of people out of a thousand wearing masks. All the vendors were except a few. Two that weren't were from a health food restaurant.

 

[Taco-Zero]

Riding past the farmers market in Rosemary yesterday I saw a handful of people out of a thousand wearing masks. All the vendors were except a few. Two that weren't were from a health food restaurant.

I seriously think it’s a political statement by not wearing masks without social distancing. I’m in disbelief that people don’t care for each other’s well being. I see it constantly in grocery stores and the employees and only very few customers are wearing masks. I wish that people would not be allowed in businesses without one but that’s not the way the our country works.
After seeing people hoarding all of the toilet paper, sanitizers, etc.... and stores taking a very long time to put limits on the amount people can purchase, I have no trust that the people of our country care about anything but themselves. What a lesson to have learned again. I thought I was beginning to feel better towards our fellow countryman in regards to the behaviors I seen but I’ve fallen back into distrust. There are good people out there but from now on, they have to prove it by their actions.

 

[SeaFern]

As the author of the beginning of the thread, I have since become unemployed. I am the sole caretaker of an elderly parent so my safety is a priority. When I saw our state and county close ranks I felt buoyed by this action. Even though there was still a sense of foreboding, in our small area, the locals were able to go outside, use the bike path and gaze at the beach for a moment of respite from the news. Now again, I am feeling a high degree of uncertainty about maintaining health and safety, income, sanity from the tourists while at Publix (even though obviously I know businesses here are welcoming the income) all the while watching the positive cases rising. Where do we go from here? I am watching our officials try to make decisions...meanwhile, I'm choosing to maintain my isolation. What about you?