topic Re: What is the current situation in Florida? in Community Chat

What is the current situation in Florida?

mac116 — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 19:21:51 GMT

My neighbor just returned from 2 weeks in a condo near Fort Myers. He said that the beaches and restaurants are packed with people. The grocery stores have only the TP shortage, but otherwise shelves are full. He couldn't believe the situation here up North.

Today we cancelled our April Florida vacation, and lost money of course on the deal. The condo manager was NOT very pleasant about the cancellation. She said that NOTHING is closed or affected in the area.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

gidgetgh — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 19:22:44 GMT

@mac116 wrote:
My neighbor just returned from 2 weeks in a condo near Fort Myers. He said that the beaches and restaurants are packed with people. The grocery stores have only the TP shortage, but otherwise shelves are full. He couldn't believe the situation here up North.

Today we cancelled our April Florida vacation, and lost money of course on the deal. The condo manager was NOT very pleasant about the cancellation. She said that NOTHING is closed or affected in the area.

I don't believe the manager.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Beth-QVC — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 19:24:27 GMT

political

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

BarbiHollywood — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 19:41:30 GMT

I'm in Tampa. Can't find toilet paper, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and Lysol spray. Most other paper products such as tissues are a "limit 2." From what I've seen, food is plentiful, though maybe some stores are running low on meat. Restaurants are open, though many people not going out. Glad theme parks and events are canceled. As for me, I'm just staying home doing things around the house that I've been putting off. And cleaning. Lots of cleaning! Stay safe out there, everyone. Let's hope this passes quickly. Now go wash your hands.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

happycat — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 19:45:57 GMT

@mac116 wrote:
My neighbor just returned from 2 weeks in a condo near Fort Myers. He said that the beaches and restaurants are packed with people. The grocery stores have only the TP shortage, but otherwise shelves are full. He couldn't believe the situation here up North.

Today we cancelled our April Florida vacation, and lost money of course on the deal. The condo manager was NOT very pleasant about the cancellation. She said that NOTHING is closed or affected in the area.

I think you made a good decision to cancel. In April, I seriously think things will be worse and not better. In the US, in general, not to be a Debbie Downer, but we haven't seen anything yet.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Preds — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:01:44 GMT

Alabama, Florida, Mississippi set up COVID-19 hotlines.

Alabama:1-888-264-2256
Florida: 1-866-779-6121
Mississippi: 1-877-978-6453

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

golding76 — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:05:45 GMT

I've read that those who live in The Villages in Florida are not changing their lifestyle one bit. Living life to the fullest. The article was amusing but concerning.

Again, I hope their carpe diem approach during this time of COVID-19 does not have dreadful repercussions.

(I swear, I'm so distracted that I'm using incorrect words.)

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Dustybird — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:15:29 GMT

I am in Port St Licie Floida and people are staying pretty calm and I would say staying cautious. Publix is like most grocery stores out of most cleaning products and TP but keep refilling daily. They have cut there hours from 8 at night to 7 in the morning to restock as much as possible, but people buy it as soon as most are put out. Meat seems to be another thing that is going fast also.

Hopefully things will calm down after a period of time if people follow what they tell us to stay as safe as possible.

What I will say to everyone is the swine flu of 2009 had 12,469 people die in the United States and I didn't see all this panic, so I hope and pray this isn't the media making this bigger than it has to be.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Mindy D — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:56:18 GMT

@mac116 wrote:
My neighbor just returned from 2 weeks in a condo near Fort Myers. He said that the beaches and restaurants are packed with people. The grocery stores have only the TP shortage, but otherwise shelves are full. He couldn't believe the situation here up North.

Today we cancelled our April Florida vacation, and lost money of course on the deal. The condo manager was NOT very pleasant about the cancellation. She said that NOTHING is closed or affected in the area.

In S. Florida, our grocery stores are running out and then getting in trucks to restock. Out of milk in local Publix. The stores near me are awaiting dairy delivery trucks. Cereals are sold out. Toilet paper and tissue are sold out. Bread is limited and the stores are awaiting delivery trucks. Restaurants are fairly empty. Socializing has been dramatically reduced. Some are working from home. I have not been to the beach, Airport was a nightmare as people returning home were awaiting testing. People were packed together. I just received a robocall from my city mayor saying the election booths are being cleaned and the polls will have sanitizer.

Florida has a high case count.

Florida Department of Health

Updates

The dashboard for tracking cases.

Broward County, number of cases is 38.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Porcelain — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:54:59 GMT

This all sounds like the beginning of Jaws.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Mindy D — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 20:59:28 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
This all sounds like the beginning of Jaws.

I'm trying to be serious.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Mindy D — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:12:23 GMT

@golding76 wrote:
I've read that those who live in The Villages in Florida are not changing their lifestyle one bit. Living life to the fullest. The article was amusing but concerning.

Again, I hope their carpe diem approach during this time of COVID-19 does not have dreadful repercussions.

(I swear, I'm so distracted that I'm using incorrect words.)

This too shall pass. A case is confirmed in nearby Citrus County.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Porcelain — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:13:35 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
@Porcelain wrote:
This all sounds like the beginning of Jaws.
I'm trying to be serious.

I'm really not being flippant. In the movie the beachgoers partied and carried on and the irresponsible mayor encouraged it even though someone had been eaten by a shark. But when the shark started eating people again to the point it couldn't be ignored, only then did they start taking the threat seriously. There's a lesson there about human nature and ignoring experts and poopooing safety concerns in the interests of a good time and greed. Not making fun.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Beth-QVC — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:14:01 GMT

This post has been removed by QVC because it is political

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

wagirl — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:22:41 GMT

My brother just came home last night from Lake Wales, FL and everything was shut down-----stayed with my aunt but and they did go to a beach but that was it-----

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

River Song — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:35:16 GMT

I live south of Ft. Myers. I went to Publix last Friday evening around 7:00 pm to do normal grocery shopping. The store wasn't very busy and there was only one person in line in front of me to check out. Everyone was calm and polite. But, the potato display in the produce section was entirely bare, not a potato to be found, and the meat section was decimated. The only beef left was filet mignon, no pork or chicken, completely cleaned out. So, folks around here are meat-and-potato fans, lol. Of course, no paper products or cleaning supplies were available at that time of night.

That said, as I drove home, I noticed the area restaurant parking lots were packed. So, people are hoarding food and supplies but not taking the social distancing guidelines seriously.

Fortunately, level heads have prevailed and many local public events have been canceled, museums closed, that sort of thing, but nothing about closing restaurants or bars.

For those with a Florida vacation planned, take a hard look at the Florida coronavirus map and see where the hot spots are...usually in the vicinity of an airport. There are more travel-related cases than community spread cases reported but that's only because there hasn't been enough testing done.

For myself, there is no way I'm getting on a plane, train, or boat any time soon. I practice "defensive living" and am giving other people very wide berth. There are so many people in the world that have no concept of keeping their distance from others or changing their actions for the greater good of society, and in the case of this pandemic, the world. It's sad, really, that people can be so self-absorbed and selfish.

I also read on our neighborhood Nextdoor forum that Canadian snowbirds in my area are leaving to go home early, probably a smart move now that Canada is closing their borders.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Zaimee — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 22:12:54 GMT

Beaches in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood closed.

Hollywood Broadwalk closed.

No Springbreak allowed in SW Florida.

But,many casinos still open. SeminoleTribe has no intention to close Hardrock Hotel!,

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Jewelforme — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 04:12:55 GMT

There are many places all over Florida closed. And shortages are growing.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Mindy D — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 18:03:09 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
@Mindy D wrote:
@Porcelain wrote:
This all sounds like the beginning of Jaws.
I'm trying to be serious.
I'm really not being flippant. In the movie the beachgoers partied and carried on and the irresponsible mayor encouraged it even though someone had been eaten by a shark. But when the shark started eating people again to the point it couldn't be ignored, only then did they start taking the threat seriously. There's a lesson there about human nature and ignoring experts and poopooing safety concerns in the interests of a good time and greed. Not making fun.

I got your analogy, but I felt a tinge of humor. Your point never fell on deaf ears. Some people will take forever to wake up and smell the coffee. They miss the point on taking things seriously now. They are not divergent, abstract, analytic, critical or holistic thinkers.

Re: What is the current situation in Florida?

Snoopp — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 17:55:10 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
@golding76 wrote:
I've read that those who live in The Villages in Florida are not changing their lifestyle one bit. Living life to the fullest. The article was amusing but concerning.

Again, I hope their carpe diem approach during this time of COVID-19 does not have dreadful repercussions.

(I swear, I'm so distracted that I'm using incorrect words.)
This too shall pass. A case is confirmed in nearby Citrus County.

The villages has a reputation of sorts.