Message from the Village of Key Biscayne | Friday, March 27, 2020 PM Update

Message from the Village of Key Biscayne | Friday, March 27, 2020 PM Update

Navigating Through COVID-19 as a Village

Good Afternoon VKB Residents,

As we kick-off the weekend at #KBStayHome and continue to navigate COVID-19 as a Village during week #2 under a state of emergency, the COVID-19 incident intensifies and there are two very important things we want you to know:

• The Village of Key Biscayne is here for each of you, as well as our entire island community in this time of need, and
• The Village of Key Biscayne will continue to deliver our local government services efficiently.

We know this is a difficult and unsettling time–we are in this together, as one Village family. We’re providing updates to you twice per day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The afternoon update will always include the most current updates from the Village of Key Biscayne’s Incident Command, which has activated to coordinate all Village government response actions.

Our goal is to keep every Village of Key Biscayne resident updated on Village government activities and actions to prepare and protect residents from COVID-19.

Here are some important updates:

SAFER AT HOME protocols: Miami-Dade County has enacted a range of Emergency Orders in an effort to flatten the curve. To read all of them please visit https://www.miamidade.gov/global/initiatives/coronavirus/emergency-orders.page.

Curfew: The City of Miami has implemented a curfew between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., just like we have here in the Village.

Taxes, Due Date Extended: On Monday, March 16, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis directed the Department of Revenue (Department) to provide flexibility on tax due dates to assist those adversely affected by COVID-19 and extended the payment due date from March 31 to April 15, 2020.

Construction Sites: A majority of open construction sites in the Village, 70%, have voluntarily stopped activity.

See Something, Say Something: The Key Biscayne Police Department has been doing a commendable job, firmly but professionally enforcing Emergency Orders. Strict rules are in place to help preserve life and curtail the spread of COVID-19. These rules apply to EVERYONE, whether on public or private property, in a home or condo. If you see someone breaking the rules, please report it to KBPD by calling (305) 365-5555. Failure to follow Emergency Orders puts us ALL at greater risk.

Please see the attached video from County Mayor Gimenez regarding social distancing.

Please see attached a video update from Chief Press.

Testing Sites: Public Safety. Quality of Life. Efficient Government. Resilience & Sustainability. These are the four core values of our Village, and as such we are looking into the feasibility of whether the Village could establish a testing site for COVID-19. To learn more about current testing locations in South Florida, please visit Miami-Dade County COVID-19 webpage and stay tuned for a separate Village Connect e-mail dedicated to this important topic.

Message Sign in Place: The Village has posted an automated message sign by the entrance to Calusa Park, immediately before the Calusa Circle turnaround, stating Key Biscayne beaches and parks are closed. It’s a way of helping non-residents decide not to enter the Village.

Upcoming Work at KBCS: On Monday, workers will be on site at the Key Biscayne Community School to fix the irrigation system.

Building, Zoning, and Planning: BZP services are being handled electronically despite some challenges we are facing in updating our technology and capabilities to be able to intake, process, receive payment and issue permits. Existing permits will be extended 90 days.

Positive cases on the Key? As of the 10:00 p.m. notice the Village received last night, the official state health authority Florida Department of Health (FDOH) report indicates 10 positive COVID-19 cases on the Key. Data in this report are provisional and subject to change. We do not receive personal information about infected residents from the Department of Health. Click here for the latest FDOH data.

The following updates from last night are important to consider together:

• Bathroom closures: Key Biscayne public bathrooms have been closed as part of the beach closure, pursuant to Miami-Dade County park and beach closure. Closure of the bathrooms also eliminates the need for janitorial staff from coming into the island.
• Help keep us all stay safe! We strongly encourage all residents and businesses to make every effort to restrict the need for off-island individuals to travel to and from the island.
• Social distancing continues to be a behavior not fully adopted by all of us. We understand there is a learning curve to this new behavior and way of life. The best way to avoid illness is to avoid exposure to this virus: Continue to put distance between yourself and other people!

These updates have the common element of how we protect ourselves and our community from COVID-19. You’ll notice that the best thing we all can do to prevent infection is to practice social distancing and minimize contact with other people.

• Let’s all lead by example. Here’s a great infographic from Florida Health on how to protect yourself from exposure. Be sure to practice social distancing yourselves. It is for your own safety, and a good example for all other residents.

Questions or concerns? It’s important that we know what you’re thinking. We’ve set up a central email account response@keybiscayne.fl.gov, where you can share your questions and concerns. We review all emails to identify issues or concerns that need to be addressed, which we then share with the entire community. But be assured, we won’t use your name.

• More information sources! Sign-up and follow official Village information outlets to stay informed. These are all the sources you can use to keep up with what’s happening during the COVID-19 incident.

Public Safety. Quality of Life. Efficient Government. Resilience & Sustainability. These are the four core values of our Village, and as such we are looking into the feasibility of whether the Village could establish a testing site for COVID-19.

To learn more about current testing site locations in South Florida, we outlined the information provided by Miami-Dade County for you down below:

TESTING LOCATIONS

Marlins Park (Drive-thru Testing)
501 Marlins Way, Miami, FL 33125

This testing location is by appointment only. You must call first to get an appointment. Those without an appointment will be turned away.

Beginning Wednesday, March 25 at 9:00 a.m., you can call 305-499-8767 to make an appointment. If you call before 9:00 a.m., you will not be able to connect.

The call center will open daily at 9:00 a.m. and will remain open until all appointment slots for the next day have been filled. For now, daily testing is available at this site for 300 people.

Who can get tested here:

• Individuals, 65 years of age or older, who have COVID-19 symptoms
• You will not be permitted to exit your vehicle
• You cannot walkup to this testing site
• Only one other passenger is allowed in the car
• Both the driver and passenger will be tested

Hard Rock Stadium (Drive-thru Testing)
East Parking Lot – 347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardens, FL 33056
Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

At this time, the Hard Rock testing site is a drive-up testing site for first responders, such as firefighters, law enforcement/corrections and medical staff with a valid agency ID.

Who can get tested here:

• First responders and medical staff with a valid agency ID
• Nurses will screen clients to determine their eligibility for testing. Those who do not meet the criteria will be turned away. Those tested will be instructed to wait 48 – 72 hours for notification of results from a health representative.

What to bring:

• If you meet these criteria, be sure to bring your ID. You must have it to be tested.
• First responders and health care workers bring your agency ID

Things to consider:

• There are no bathrooms
• You will not be permitted to exit your vehicle.
• No bicycles or mopeds will be allowed.
• Each person who needs testing must be seated next to a working window
• All passengers must stay inside vehicles from arrival to departure
• Try to limit the people in your vehicle to those needing testing
• There may be significant wait times

Note: This is not a full list of COVID-19 testing locations. Check with your health care provider or the Miami-Dade County Department of Health for a more comprehensive list of testing sites. You can also call the Department of Health 24/7 COVID-19 Call Center at 866-779-6121.

For medical emergencies, call 911 and notify the dispatch personnel that you may have COVID-19.
Source: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/initiatives/coronavirus/home.page

Hospitals are available for testing for individuals experiencing symptoms, or anyone who has traveled internationally or returned from a cruise within the last 14 days, or individuals who have had contact with someone who has or is under investigation for COVID-19.

We are the Key! While the roadmap in the coming days is uncertain, it is driven by our Village’s capacity for resilience and renewal in the face of unprecedented changes affecting our community. Key Biscayners are no strangers to difficult crises, and we are confident that, together, we will become even stronger.

Your Village of Key Biscayne

The Village is executing an abundance of caution to PROTECT our community. We will continue to COMMUNICATE Village-wide efforts and take necessary ACTION to keep the Village of Key Biscayne safe and healthy.