What is the Current State of "Ventilator" Availability in Escambia County's Hospitals? 83% are Available...

13  days ago at our last Board of County Commissioners' meeting- I asked the CEO's of the area's three Hospitals for the total numbers of ventilators possessed locally, and the numbers utilized and the numbers vacant.

These are numbers I want to see reported to the county's Emergency Operations Center daily.  This would be useful information for the citizens to know.

Why?

To me, this will be the earliest indicator of a significant problem locally the likes of which we are seeing in New York, New Orleans, New Jersey and Washington State.  This number, the number utilized as a percentage of the total available, will be our area's "canary in the coal mine" early warning system.

So I have requested and I will continue to push for this metric to be provided daily and placed on our daily SITREP.  I'll report that here as well.

Just today, I received a current report--updated since my blog post of Saturday.

Here's our current status:

"Here are the number of ventilators at the hospitals:

Total Number  - 227

Total Available – 188

Total In-use - 39"

NOTE:  Sacred Heart Hospital has reported an increased total number of ventilators available today as compared to last week---thus the increase today of total number of ventilators since my first post on this topic Saturday.

COVID-19 and Escambia County's "Dashboard-Delta" for 3-31-2020---1,990 Tests Unaccounted For......Why?

As of COB yesterday, 3-30-2020 (per this graph, above, that was sent out by staff)  there have been a total of 2,777 COVID-19 tests administered locally over the last month in Escambia County.

But this morning on Florida's COVID-19 Dashboard, below, it lists "total tested" number now as 787.

The delta between how many tests have been performed and how many the state lists as "total tested" is now 1,990 tests. 

We know getting the results back is resulting in a lag in reporting, at least that's what we are being told.  But why does the State of Florida's dashboard not list the correct number of tests administered, 2,777, but rather a much smaller number 787??  And where does the 787 figure come from?  It isn't accurate, and the delta this week remains large--nearly 2,000.

33rd Coffee with a Commissioner is Tomorrow Morning....Online

We will be holding our 33rd coffee with the Commissioner tomorrow morning at 6:30AM.

We will be conducting the meeting on Zoom and livestreaming the meeting simultaneously on Facebook  at

https://www.facebook.com/CommissionerBergosh/

I will have three guests for tomorrow's session:

County Administrator Janice Gilley--who will give an update on the County's response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore--who will give updates on the EOC's actions to address the pandemic

Baptist Hospital CEO Mark Faulkner--who will answer questions about Baptist Hospital's response to the crisis.

You can submit your questions in real time just as you did last week on my 32nd virtual coffee where we had special guest Dr. John Lanza, director of the Escambia County Health Department,  answering questions an giving an update.  Or, you can email the questions to me or facebook message them to me.

See you all tomorrow for our "virtual" coffee meeting!

COVID-19 and Escambia County's "Dashboard-Delta" for 3-30-2020---2,122 Tests Unaccounted For......Why?

As of COB yesterday, 3-29-2020 (per this graph, above, that was sent out by staff)  there have been a total of 2,750 COVID-19 tests administered locally over the last month in Escambia County.

But this morning on Florida's COVID-19 Dashboard, below, it lists "total tested" number now as 628.

The delta between how many tests have been performed and how many the state lists as "total tested" is growing now, to 2122 tests. 

We know getting the results back is resulting in a lag in reporting, at least that's what we are being told.  But why does the State of Florida's dashboard not list the correct number of tests administered, 2,750, but rather a much smaller number 628??  And where does the 628 figure come from?  It isn't accurate, and the delta this week is bigger than it was late last week.

Last week that delta was 1,958 tests....

Will This Memo Break the Test-Result Reporting Logjam? How Will it Be Enforced?

This Document, above,  was sent to commissioners yesterday afternoon.  It had been forwarded to labs earlier in the week.  Is this law being enforced right now?  Why are we not getting test report results back when state law dictates this happen?  Why this gentle reminder?  Who is enforcing this law, and are there any penalties for the non-compliers?  What are the penalties and will they be applied?

As the country and our county struggle with big decisions in the midst of the worldwide Chinese Coronavirus Pandemic---more and more folks are putting their collective fingers right on the jugular vein of the biggest problem:  Lack of good, timely test results data/information.

In Florida the issue is especially acute.

In Escambia County, for instance, we know that we have collected more than 2,400 COVID-19 test specimens over the last month.  Yet the state Department of Health has only reported results on the official dashboard for 581 tests. 

So where are the results for the nearly 1,800 additional tests?

Late yesterday afternoon, Dr. Lanza from the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County sent an interesting update, and in the update a document was included urging.---no, DEMANDING--- that ALL labs, public and private, must share COVID -19 results with the Department of Health.  This sharing must be done immediately with no delay, and the memo cites the Florida Statutes that mandate this.

There have been delays, and when I have asked very direct questions like "If a screened patient in Escambia County is notified of a positive COVID -19 test by his physician or by a laboratory---is the notifying Hospital or laboratory also simultaneously notifying the Florida Department of Health?  How do we know this?  If this is not happening, what can be done to compel this to happen?

To which I have received shoulder shrug answers back.  This is not good enough, and obviously we are not the only ones experiencing this problem.

Others in Florida besides county commissioners in Escambia County like me have seen this delayed response/reporting phenomenon as a CRITICAL problem.

Folks are blaming the labs, but is this really where the problem lies?

The labs, and the HOSPITALs themselves need to be much more forthcoming with what exactly is causing the hold up on results reporting to the state.

Without timely, accurate results---we as policy makers CANNOT make good, solid, rational (not emotional) decisions.

Until I get good answers, I am going to continue to ask about this until I see results.  This Wednesday when I host my 33rd Coffee with the Commissioner event--I will ask this specifically of my guests--County Administrator Janice Gilley, Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore, and Baptist Healthcare President Mark Faulkner.

You can tune in this Wednesday, April 1st, at 6:30 AM and send in your questions in real time at my Commissioner's Facebook site:  https://www.facebook.com/CommissionerBergosh/

What is the Current State of "Ventilator" Availability in Escambia County's Hospitals? 80% are Available...

Ventilators like this one are a subject of extreme interest as we are in the midst of the Chinese Coronavirus.  I have requested a daily report of the total number available in Escambia County as a percentage of the total.  Right now 80% of our local hospital's ventilators are currently available according to the data I received late yesterday afternoon

We hear all about it in the news, the need for and lack of "Ventilators" in areas hard-hit by COVID-19.

The Governor of New York and the President of the United States are engaged in an open war of words in the media over availability of "Ventilators."

The President is using the Defense Production Act to FORCE General Motors to manufacture ventilators for the country.

Bottom Line:  Suddenly, everyone now cares a great deal about about a piece of hospital equipment that three months ago nobody even recognized at all........

Nine days ago at our last Board of County Commissioners' meeting- I asked the CEO's of the area's three Hospitals for the total numbers of ventilators possessed locally, and the numbers utilized and the numbers vacant.

These are numbers I want to see reported to the county's Emergency Operations Center daily.  This would be useful information for the citizens to know.

Why?

To me, this will be the earliest indicator of a significant problem locally the likes of which we are seeing in New York and Washington State.  This number, the number utilized as a percentage of the total available, will be our area's "canary in the coal mine" early warning system.

So I have requested and I will continue to push for this metric to be provided daily and placed on our daily SITREP.  I'll report that here as well.

Yesterday, I received the first report I requested since the meeting 9 days ago.

Here's our current status:

"Here are the number of ventilators at the hospitals:

Total Number  - 201

Total Available – 162

Total In-use - 39"

How Many COVID-19 Tests Have Been Conducted in Escambia County to Date?

According to our latest figures provided by staff as of Close of Business (COB) yesterday, the daily breakdown of tests (above) indicates that as a community there has been a total of 2,404 tests for COVID 19 conducted since March 5th.

But here we go with the opaque data........Early last week, the Florida COVID-19 dashboard listed a data point "total tests" in their Escambia County testing information column.

That is now gone, no longer listed.

As of this morning, the state Department of health Dashboard for Escambia County only lists "results" for a total of 446 tests.  (and the positive and negative results now have to be added manually to get the total number of tests administered.)  Nevertheless--this data is wrong.  There is an outstanding delta between the tests we know we have conducted and what is being reported.  And it's a big number, 1,958 tests with no results yet reported.

Where are the results for these other 1,958 tests that have been conducted over the last month in Escambia County?

Why are these results not being shared on the dashboard?

Are the individual patients that have been tested being given their results separately from the DOH?

Are the hospitals sharing results with patients and the DOH in real time, or is there a lag?  Are the hospitals NOT sharing the test results they get back and disclose to patients?  If not, why?

And why are the tests still taking so long to get back from the lab?---------especially since we were told 8 days ago that Sacred Heart Hospital has a 4-hour test capability on site now that can push  a minimum of 50 test results daily out?

Too many questions are going unanswered, and the lack of transparency is feeding insecurity among a lot of people here.

Panic Buying Continues in Escambia County......

This morning as the doors opened for business at the Wal Mart on 9-Mile Road and Pine Forest Road--there was not one roll of toilet paper on the racks.  None.  

Here's what's crazy.  I posted these pictures from the Wal Mart paper-goods section that I took at 0700 today.  I was there at opening time to get my weekly shopping done early.  And yes, I was compliant and waited in the line like all the others this morning---(a number of folks in line were wearing masks and gloves.)

When I got to the paper products area---it was barren.

Bare bones, empty shelves.  Nothing on the rack.

A friend had shopped at the same store just last night and commented on my Facebook post.

FACEBOOK FRIEND: "Is that the Walmart at pine forest & 9mile?" "I ask, because we were there at 7:30 last night and they were completely restocked."

ME:  Yes

FACEBOOK FRIEND: wow! That’s insane. I thought we had entered ‘the calm after the storm ‘ last night as I truly saw no empty spaces. The shelves were beautiful, like a rainbow. Colors everywhere! As if nothing was wrong in the world. I sit here still in shock and a bit confused. Waiting for a bit of normalcy to return.

But with this store closing early--at 8:00PM daily--how could all that toilet paper be gone in 30 minutes?!?  Who is hoarding the TP and paper towels?

UPDATE 2:00 PM

I've also looked at multiple other 9-mile road stores, to include Target, Winn Dixie, Family Dollar, and Publix.  No toilet paper at any of these stores.

What the heck is going on with the toilet paper hoarding?!?

Publix--totally out

Target--no TP

No TP at Target

Winn Dixie--zero TP on the racks.......

I'll be on 1370 WCOA This Morning Discussing the County and COVID-19

I'll be on Good Morning Pensacola on 1370 WCOA this morning discussing the County's response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

I'm fairly certain the topic of Pensacola Beach will come up as well, in the wake of this article in today's PNJ.

Looking forward to the discussion.  When I get the audio recording, I will link it here.

How Many COVID-19 Tests Have Been Administered in Escambia County?

According to county staff that have been working this issue nonstop for weeks now, there has been a total of 1,968 COVID-19 Tests administered locally since the outbreak.  But the state's official tally lists only 237----so what is causing such a huge disconnect?

The testing protocols in the midst of this COVID-19 outbreak are leaving many residents and policymakers frustrated.

Hundreds of tests have been administered in Escambia County since the outbreak.  The number is nearly in the thousands!

Yet the results reported on the state's dashboard indicate that only 237 tests have been performed in the county??  What is going on, and why is there such a delta between the number of tests we know have been conducted and the number that have been reported?

This needs to be figured out, and sorted out quickly.  We need better information and quicker turnaround on data dissemination.

The public deserves it, and policymakers from cities and counties all the way up the ladder to congress need good, solid data.  Without it--it is impossible to implement balanced solutions--not too light and not too draconian.

Right now, we are not getting the data we need.

More sobering:  Can we trust anything on that dashboard if we know the data for just our county (1 of 67) is so inaccurate?

Should Pensacola Beach be Re-Opened?

If it can be done safely--then yes, it should be.

But if we are told that it absolutely cannot be done safely---then we should not open the beach.

But either way--we should have the discussion on April 2nd.

The CDC issued guidelines do not mandate beach closure.  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not MANDATED all beaches to close.

But the Escambia Board of County Commissioners voted last week to close all beaches for at least two weeks at the urging of our health care executives and the health department director.

Meanwhile, the physical area of Pensacola Beach is open;  many of the beach businesses are still open.  Restaurants are selling meals to go, and hotels are accepting reservations and taking-in guests at Pensacola Beach right now as I type this.

Rooms are exceptionally cheap right now, too.   And although guests at Pensacola Beach hotels cannot currently, legally go on the sandy portions of the beach (because these are all closed until at least April 2nd by order of the County Commissioners)--they are still allowed to use the pools and spas and hot tubs and sunbathe around the pool. 

So folks are still coming to the beach anyway--even if the sandy portions of the beach are technically and legally closed.  I have also heard, anecdotally, that some visitors and others  are still going onto the sandy portions of the Gulf of Mexico side of the beach on Pensacola Beach despite our rule prohibiting this. (Obviously, there are a lot of miles of beach and a limited number of public safety personnel and sheriff's deputies to patrol the whole area--so who knows to what extent this order is already being violated). 

Meanwhile, back at the Pensacola Beach hotels--if groups are gathered at the pools instead of on the beaches (where with more room on the sandy beaches they could better disperse as a crowd maintaining even more distance between one another)--the social distancing is much more difficult to control.  And who is patrolling the hotel's pools to insure the distancing protocols are being followed?

I get it that folks are nervous about out of towners coming in from New Orleans or New York and seeking refuge at Pensacola Beach.  But wait--they are doing this right now as we speak---it's just that nobody is talking about that.  And unless we are shutting and sealing our Florida borders, who are we to say they can't come here?

So if we can enforce social distancing on the beach and safely allow locals back on the beach to fish or enjoy the outdoors with their families--why shouldn't we do this?  I would like to hear rational reasons why not.