CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (March 13, 2020) – Charlotte County has taken numerous steps to contain the spread of COVID-19 (new coronavirus). The situation with COVID-19 is evolving quickly and the county is actively planning for various scenarios and how they will impact employees, the public and its operations.
As of March 13, Charlotte County has had one positive COVID-19 case. That patient is isolated and being monitored by the Department of Health.
County staff are coordinating its response with state and county health departments, the Division of Emergency Management and local hospitals. The director of the Charlotte County Health Department updated the County Commission March 10 and senior county staff have been meeting weekly with the Charlotte DOH. The county has not declared a state of local emergency, but staff are coordinating with neighboring counties on the appropriate response if circumstances change.
Non-essential out-of-county travel for employees has been prohibited. The county will not issue event permits or host events at county facilities with more than 250 participants until further notice. We encourage event organizers to follow the guidance from the Department of Health and the governor. To read the state’s guidance on mass gatherings and social distancing, visit https://bit.ly/3cWkRin. Major League Baseball has cancelled its remaining spring training games and the Snowbird Baseball Classic ends March 14. Local youth baseball activities have been cancelled.
High-traffic county facilities and customer service areas have been disinfected and undergo daily cleaning. Though no county facilities have been closed, customers are encouraged to conduct county business using its website, email and phone. Visit CharlotteCountyFL.gov to learn about online services and find email addresses and phone numbers of county departments.
County Commission meetings, as well meetings of the Planning and Zoning Board, Board of Zoning Appeals, the Construction Industry Licensing Board and the Code Enforcement Special Magistrate, are livestreamed on the county’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/Charlotte_County_Florida) and the county’s website. Visit CharlotteCountyFL.gov and click CC-TV under Popular Links.
The key to avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19 is good personal hygiene. Visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.gov) or the Department of Health (FloridaHealth.gov) for hygiene tips. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Health Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours a day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.