Month: March 2020

Pensacola, Florida.

Publix is designating Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, 7 – 8 a.m.,

As senior shopping hours for customers age 65 and over. This change in hours will begin Tuesday, March 24, and continue until further notice.

Publix Pharmacy will also open at 7 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to serve our senior population.

According to the CDC, individuals over the age of 65 are at increased risk of complications from the coronavirus. Publix is offering these expanded hours to better support our elder community.

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 200,000 associates, currently operates 1,243 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Publix is privately owned with 2019 sales of $38.1 billion.

Pensacola, Florida

Publix now allows some employees to wear masks and gloves

But there are no reusable fabrics or masks, and some workers are prohibited from wearing them. Also, they must bring their own masks.

Prior to this week, Publix ATMs were not allowed to wear gloves or face masks while handling orders and verifying customers amid the spread of the coronavirus.

According to employee brochures, the Lakeland-based chain now creates a new voluntary mask-and-glove policy. Publix says PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) can be used for the “personal comfort” of some employees.

Prior to this week, Publix ATMs were not allowed to wear gloves or face masks while handling orders and verifying customers amid the spread of the coronavirus.

According to employee brochures, the Lakeland-based chain now creates a new voluntary mask-and-glove policy. Publix says PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) can be used for the “personal comfort” of some employees.

The only employees authorized to wear gloves are those who handle cash. If Publix runs out of gloves, employees can bring theirs. Cloth and latex gloves are not allowed.

“Remember that gloves can spread infectious diseases as easily as your own hands,” Publix says in the brochures.

The company reminds employees that gloves should be replaced regularly, especially if they are dirty or broken, or if they come in contact with the face or mouth, or if they come in contact with blood or leaking meat packages.

Employees have been discussing why they haven’t been able to wear masks and gloves for weeks on message boards like Reddit. More than 7,500 Publix employees signed a petition from CoWorkers.org requesting a risk allowance at least 1.5 times while working on this epidemic. The petition says Publicex employs approximately 89,000 part-time workers who do not have paid leave due to sick leave.

Publix says that any employee wearing COVID-19 will be given a 14-day paid leave. Those who have been in “close contact” with this employee will also receive paid leave of up to 14 days.

The store installed glass partitions in pharmacies, customer service offices, and cash registers. Publix also says it has a high antiseptic program that targets touch pads, knobs, phones, and computers.

Retailers take a series of steps to stop the spread of the coronavirus, in part driven by government requirements that maintain the social space among customers.

At the target, for example, signs in front of stores and floor decals in exit lanes determine where people should stop. In addition, the passages are cleaned after each treatment and are used to allow deep cleaning.

Winn-Dixie Southeastern Grocers parent company provided its employees with disposable gloves and hand sanitizer.

Meanwhile, Walmart has announced plans to begin evaluating employees, including for mild fever, using infrared thermometers. Employees with a temperature of 100 degrees or more will be sent home.

Pensacola, Florida

A Walmart spokesperson has confirmed to Action News that the pharmacy inside its Kennewick store has been closed until further notice for cleaning.

Pharmacy is expected to open on Tuesday.

The company said the following response, “Any update on COVID-19 cases can only come from local health officials. Per the requirement of HIPPA privacy laws, we do not share personal health information about any associate in order to protect their privacy.”

Walmart is enacting several new features and guidelines to keep associates and shoppers safe.

Some of those procedures were outlined in the full statement that we received from the corporate office.

The statement reads:

“Thanks for reaching out. Any update on COVID-19 cases can only come from local health officials. Per the requirement of HIPPA privacy laws, we do not share personal health information about any associate in order to protect their privacy.

We are focused on serving our customers during this unprecedented time. The store is operating as normal. As we’ve announced before, we have enacted cleaning and sanitizing protocols with guidance from the CDC and Walmart’s Chief Medical Officer, and we will continue taking any and all measures necessary to ensure the well-being of our associates and customers.

Those steps include delivering updated procedures to associates through videos and photos, as well as schedules for cleaning to help provide clear guidance. We have a voice-activated app called Ask Sam that associates can use to ask for cleaning guides for any area of the store, and our stores have adjusted operating hours to 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. to help associates restock shelves while continuing to clean and sanitize the building.

Finally, we started installing plexiglass barriers (sneeze guards) at our pharmacy lanes (both Walmart and Sam’s Club) and will install these guards at the regular Walmart registers during the next three weeks. This is intended to help bring peace of mind that we are doing everything we can to keep our people and our stores safe.

Also, we’re installing floor decals at the entrances and in checkout lanes, making it easier for customers to judge the proper social distance from each other

A number of international maritime shipping companies canceled their flights to a number of ports in the world, and of course the port of Miami, Florida in the forefront due to the outbreak of the Corona virus in the whole world

Among the most important of these companies Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line and a company royal Caribbean cruises that decided to suspend its cruises for at least 30 days due to the Corona virus, which has spread epidemiologically in various countries of the world

A number of ships belonging to the global maritime shipping companies are still being held in ports on various continents of the world, and it is one of the ships Zaandam that are scheduled to come to Florida within its tourism program. Florida to visit the cities of Miami, Orlando and Pensacola as part of their tourism program

Cruise stocks fell again, while the overall markets rose. Carnival Corporation shares closed at $12.80, down 11.17%, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. shares closed at $29.77, down 13.71%, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings shares closed at $10.68, down 11.15%. The S&P 500 gained 3.35% and the Nasdaq gained 3.62%.

Pensacola, Florida.

A two-week March trip around the southern tip of South America seemed a great idea for living empty nests Laura Gabaroni Huergo and her husband Juan, 48, from South Florida who moved to Central Florida and love to explore the world by ship.

The first leave of the couple without their son, Nicholas, was a student at the University of Florida. Aside from visiting family and friends in Buenos Aires, Argentina, they were anxious to see the British Falkland Islands, Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the world) and cruises across the Strait of Magellan, via Cape Horn and across the Chilean Strait aboard the Netherlands. The American ship Zandam.

Instead, the Hurgos find themselves in a terrible situation. They were stranded at sea after 23 days due to the coronary virus pandemic, confined 24 hours a day to the brake. They have no idea when or where to land.

“We haven’t been able to breathe fresh air for several days,” said Laura, who was reached by mobile phone on board the ship: “” “You may feel that the walls are closing sometimes, and we have begun to erode our window and no balcony.”

They were among nearly 800 passengers transported to the sister boat of Rotterdam for Zandam on Saturday after the death of four people on board Zandam and 189 others – 73 guests and 116 crew members – who reported flu-like symptoms. 446 passengers and 602 crew members are still on board the Zandam.

The twin ships, carrying 2,490 passengers, entered through the Panama Canal Monday morning after days of uncertainty. The location of their platform is unknown.

Zandam departed from Buenos Aires on March 7, with 1,243 passengers and 586 crew members. At that time, Huergos said. But the ports in both countries were closed on March 14, leaving Zandam stuck when the Chilean authorities refused to allow them to dock.

They were able to see the penguins in the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and made them halfway to Punta Arenas before they cut the itinerary.

Aaassssssssaaaaaa But officials in Florida and Fort Lauderdale were reluctant to allow ships to disembark, fearing the passengers would carry Fion.

Because our vacation in Florida have Miami , Orlando, Pensacola, Pensacola beach ,

Laura said: “About five days ago, we were allowed to go out in small, controlled groups so that there would be no contact of any kind with any other passengers or even decks on the ship.” “We wore our masks and enjoyed a few minutes of fresh air.”

Laura, a Palmetto Bay resident who attended Westminster Christian School (Semester 90) and University of Florida (semester), said: All their meals are delivered to the cabin, as well as wine and beer, and they have no contact with the crew or other passengers. From ’94). Juan graduated from Miami Palmetto High (1989) and Boston University.

“Because of the strict quarantine orders on the ship, we cannot leave our room and we cannot leave for any reason,” she said. “We receive our meals from the crew, wait until they are well away before our stairs slide into the cabin. Then we clean everything up before eating. We return everything when we are done.”

Their transfer on Saturday from Zaandam to Rotterdam was a long and complex process.

Zandam crew knocked in a protective costume on the door of the cabin. Keep their distance as Huergos followed, wearing masks and carrying their bags. At the transfer point, tender was awaiting. The crew took their large suitcases and kept hand luggage. All their bags were sprayed with antiseptic. Tender personnel were dressed in dangerous suits. They made a short trip from Zaandam to Rotterdam, where protective clothing workers drove them to their new room.

El Horgos spends hours watching movies. They have seen so far “a battle between the sexes”, “a great day around,” “goodbye, Christopher Robin,” and “Glass.”

Laura is an art writer in Lidos, a defense contractor, who used to keep a notebook to share with family and friends. Juan is Leidos program manager and managed to do some work remotely.

They also reached out to friends and loved ones through the ¿Qué hay and Facebook application, communicate with other travelers from the family and friends’ e-mail board in Zandam, and contact elected officials in Florida and Washington, DC, to request assistance.

She said, “We feel hopeful that we were able to cross the Panama Canal, but we were not frustrated by the news that the Florida authorities may not allow us to land there.” “There are more than 300 US citizens on board who need the assistance of their government.”

To make matters worse, the water has been cut off since I left the Panama Canal.

The Pacific was very nice to us and gave us calm waters. The Atlantic Ocean has been more aggressive today

Pensacola, Florida.

Carnival Cruise Line has announced several cancellations of cruises amid coronavirus outbreaks.

Among the people canceled were all cruise ships scheduled to sail from March 14 to May 11.

Miami is a warped harbor from a carnival trip and passengers always visit Orlando, Pensacola and all of Florida

The previously scheduled Carnival Radiance flights were also canceled on April 29, May 9, May 21 and June 11.

The cruise line offers two options for guests whose journeys have been affected. These options are only available to those whose flights were canceled on or after March 6.

The first option provides 100% future cruise credit. For cruises that are scheduled for six days or more, guests can get a credit of $ 600 per deluxe room. For cruises that are scheduled for five days or less, guests can get onboard credit of $ 300 per deluxe room.

The second offer gives guests a full refund.

Regardless of which option guests choose, their money will be fully refunded for everything they paid in the form of “taxes, fees, port expenses, carnival vacation protection, prepaid tips, pre-purchased beach trips, drinks, Wi-Fi – Wi-Fi packages and store purchases.” Fun “.

Those guests who have purchased their own flights are advised to contact the airlines or travel agents for the options available.

However, Cruise Line Carnival extended its suspension in sailing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Doral-based cruise company said it had suspended all its cruises in North America until May 11.

If you have tickets for a canceled cruise, you will receive an email from Carnival or those who booked it. The email will include information on how to request a cancellation offer or refund.

The company said that its call center suffers from too many calls, so the link provided in the email will be the fastest way to submit a claim.

Sailing operations after May 11 were not affected at this time.

Walmart is making more changes to accommodate customers and keep people safe during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Among those changes are:

Walmart U.S. stores will adjust operating hours from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Stores that open later than 7 a.m. will continue their regular starting hours.

Beginning March 24, Walmart stores will host an hour-long senior shopping event every Tuesday for customers aged 60 and older. This will start one hour before the store opens.  Our pharmacies and vision centers will also be open during this time.

Stores will have limits for customers in certain categories including paper products, milk, eggs, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, water, diapers, wipes, formula and baby food.

Below is the full press release from Walmart:

BENTONVILLE, Ark.– Our associates have been nothing short of heroic in their commitment to serve customers, stock shelves as quickly as possible and keep their stores clean. When their communities needed them the most, our people have been at their best. Their efforts continue to be a tremendous source of pride for everyone at Walmart. Over the weekend we adjusted our operating hours to help make it easier for associates to stock and perform enhanced cleaning and sanitizing. We’re pleased with the results we are seeing and will take additional steps beginning Thursday, March 19.

Store Operating Hours

• Walmart U.S. stores will adjust operating hours to 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Stores that open later than 7 a.m. will continue their regular starting hours. This will further help associates restock the shelves for customers while continuing to clean and sanitize the store. While the store hours change for customers, our associates will continue to have access to their regular scheduled shifts and full hours.

Special Shopping Hours:

• We know our older customers could be more vulnerable to the coronavirus and to better support them, Walmart is offering special shopping hours. From March 24 through April 28, Walmart stores will host an hour-long senior shopping event every Tuesday for customers aged 60 and older. This will start one hour before the store opens. Our Pharmacies and Vision Centers will also be open during this time.

Item Limitations:

• We know communities are counting on us more than ever and we are determined to serve the broadest number of customers and ensure they have access to the key items they are looking for. Our stores will have limits for customers in certain categories including paper products, milk, eggs, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, water, diapers, wipes, formula and baby food.

Essential Services:

• Our people are working hard to have every part of the store ready to serve customers. To help support our people and focus on the most critical areas of the store right now, we will temporarily shut down our Auto Care Centers to allow those associates to focus on stocking and cleaning in the rest of the store.

• Also, our Vision Centers will operate on their normal schedule, providing essential services only such as glasses repair and helping customers pick up existing orders. We will have at least one associate to serve the needs of our Vision Care customers, while the other associates will help in the rest of the store.

I think every one of us has had to adjust our daily routines in some way, and it’s likely that could continue. We are paying very close attention to our stores and communities and will continue making the necessary changes to help make sure our associates are taken care of and that our customers can get what they need. Let’s all take care of each other out there.

The drive-through COVID-19 testing site organized by Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart continues this week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Pensacola.

Persons wanting to have a nasal swab collected for lab testing should first call 850-746-2684 for a telephone screening to see if they meet criteria to get the test.

People who meet criteria will be directed to the drive-through site where nurses in protective gear will collect a sample while patients stay inside their cars.

In its first 15 days of operation, care teams have conducted 7,886 telephone screenings and tested 2,276 people. Most results from outside labs have come back, and to date, test findings show that 5 percent of those tested – 99 people — tested positive for COVID-19, while 95 percent of those tested did not have the virus.

Of those tested, about 65 percent were from Escambia County, and 30 percent were from Santa Rosa County.

The drive-through center helps health officials gain a better understanding of the extent of COVID-19 in the area. Community testing also serves to identify and isolate those who may be infected, and thus minimize the spread of the virus. 

The successful crossing of the giant Italian passenger ship Costa diamond for the Egyptian Suez Canal shipping channel coming from Dubai port on its way to Florida, which carries 65 positive conditions with the Corona virus.

The Suez Canal Authority carried out the transit and guided the ship remotely without the intervention of any navigation crew from the staff of the Suez Canal Authority for fear of injury, through a guide crew on two accompanying locomotives and full coordination with the movement’s offices and navigation control stations in a precedent that is the first of its kind in the history of the channel

The ship, which can accommodate about 3 thousand passengers, was on a trip around the world that includes Italy, which the program was recently changed to avoid, to fly to the United States to anchor in Florida, and passengers tour in Miami, Orlando, and Pensacola.

The Egyptian Ministry of Health had decided that no one would board a ship or get off one of its crew after informing the captain of the ship that there were 65 cases COVID-19 of coronavirus infection in the ship.

The ship was crossed by taking unusual measures and measures, as the ship was entered at four in the morning with a time preceding the appointment of the southern convoy, in addition to appointing three of the authority’s senior guides for remote guidance and guidance from the two accompanying ships

One in front and the other in the back to direct the ship in addition to the radar guidance In coordination with the traffic offices and navigation control stations along the channel