LOCAL

Coronavirus in Jacksonville: Live updates for Wednesday, May 13

The Times-Union
Florida Times-Union

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6:50 p.m. | ’Joyful surprise’: Tests at Jacksonville homeless shelters found zero infections

One of the few citywide tests of homeless shelters in the nation found no cases of COVID-19 infections among 679 tests at Jacksonville homeless shelters.

The outcome was so unexpected that organizers asked the lab to double-check the results. | Read more

5:50 p.m. | DeSantis wants nursing home visits to resume — but not yet

With nursing homes in Florida still among the hottest spots for COVID-19 cases and deaths, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday he is looking ahead to allowing visitors to again meet with residents — but only under a host of new conditions. | Read more

5:40 p.m. | Clay County issues new food distribution site list

Clay County Emergency Management has changed the locations of its free food distribution.

Registration is required and best completed before arrival, but forms will be available on-site. | Read more

4:45 p.m. | Clay County to open new test site next week

Clay County Emergency Management announced Wednesday that it will open a new site for testing next Monday during the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more

3:50 p.m. | Popular restaurants Prati Italia, Town Hall reopen dining rooms Wednesday

Chef Tom Gray has resumed dining room service at both of his popular Jacksonville restaurants — Prati Italia and Town Hall.

Both dining rooms reopened with limited capacity at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. | Read more

3:30 p.m. | Uber to require drivers and riders to wear face masks, open windows for ventilation

Uber is adopting several safety measures starting May 18 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among drivers and riders.

Drivers and riders will have to confirm they are wearing a mask or cover before every ride, the company said. The new guidelines are in effect through the end of June. | Read more

3:10 p.m. | Gov. DeSantis looking at way to restart pro and youth sports

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday he is looking for a way to get professional and youth athletes back into action in Florida.

Northeast Florida’s sports scene has been mostly shut down over the past two months at all levels, from children chasing a soccer ball on Saturdays through professionals chasing a shot at the big leagues. | Read more

3 p.m. | As coronavirus spikes, orange growers face squeeze

George Winslow’s sprawling Valencia grove stands miles from any paved road, bathed in sunshine that feeds his trees. Out here, in the broad spaces and gentle breezes, the threat of the new coronavirus feels remote.

Hands on hips, he sniffed. To him, there is no better smell than a blooming grove as morning fog lifts. “You can’t open a bottle of perfume that smells any better.”

What he smelled in late April was not that. | Read more

2:40 p.m. | Car parade shows hospital workers love

In Palm Beach County, workers helping people battle the novel coronavirus at Wellington Regional Medical Center got a big morale boost Monday night as dozens of cars, trucks, SUVS and emergency vehicles lined up in a parade of gratitude. | Read more

2:35 p.m. | Steak ’n Shake permanently closing 57 restaurants amid coronavirus pandemic

Steak ’n Shake’s parent company is closing 57 restaurants after the company took a financial hit because of the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more

2:10 p.m. | Music by the Sea concerts in St. Augustine Beach postponed

The St Augustine Beach Civic Association announced that it will delay the start of Music by the Sea concert series until at least July 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more

11:30 a.m. | Duval County reports three new COVID-19 deaths

Duval County recorded three new deaths from COVID-19 in Wednesday’s report from the Florida Department of Health.

Statewide deaths from COVID-19 also jumped by 48 in the second consecutive day with more than 40 recorded fatalities from the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more

Statewide

Cases: 42,402

Hospitalizations: 7,595

Deaths: 1,827

Cases in Northeast Florida

Duval: 1,199

Clay: 303

St. Johns: 229

Nassau: 62

Baker: 26

Putnam: 127

| Read more

11:05 a.m. | ‘I don’t think you’re the end-all’: Rand Paul slams Anthony Fauci at Senate hearing

Sen. Rand Paul tangled with the nation’s foremost COVID-19 public health expert during a Senate committee hearing Tuesday over sending kids back to school and reopening the economy.

Speaking during a meeting of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Paul, R-Ky., said it is “ridiculous” to have a national strategy of not sending kids back to school in the fall and attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. | Read more

11 a.m. | Reopening Northeast Florida: Some credit union branches open for limited services

Florida-based credit unions plan to reopen many branch offices over the next two weeks, having already opened unstaffed drive-thru facilities as they phase in their return to business.

But they will still have safety precautions in place in branches offices, such as staff wearing face masks, limited occupancy and regular deep cleaning. | Read more

11 a.m. | TIAA offers buyouts to 75 percent of American workforce

TIAA, which in 2017 acquired Everbank Financial Corp. and its 1,624 Jacksonville-based employees, is offering buyouts to 75 percent of its American workforce, according to a report in the Jacksonville Daily Record. | Read more

9:20 a.m. | Universal, Disney set to reopen select restaurants, shops

After being shuttered for almost two months, Universal Orlando plans to allow the reopening of some restaurants and shops on a limited basis in the theme park resort’s entertainment district this week, company officials said Tuesday.

About a half-dozen restaurants and eateries, as well as two retail shops and some merchandise carts, will reopen at Universal Orlando Citywalk on Thursday in a sign of the baby steps Orlando’s theme parks are taking to get back to business after they closed in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more

9:05 a.m. | Despite coronavirus, Space Force prepping for back-to-back rocket launches

The commander of the Space Force’s local wing says his teams are ready for this weekend’s back-to-back rocket launches, possibly breaking a decades-old mission cadence record despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. | Read more

EARLIER

Clay County records 22nd COVID-19 death

Clay County recorded its 22nd death from the coronavirus pandemic in the Tuesday report issued by the Florida Department of Health.

The department listed the death of a 50-year-old woman in Clay County in its morning report. The state said the patient, the second-youngest to die in Northeast Florida from the disease, did not travel outside the area and did have contact with another confirmed COVID-19 case. | Read more

Statewide

Cases: 41,923

Hospitalizations: 7,418

Deaths: 1,779

Cases in Northeast Florida

Duval: 1,186

Clay: 303

St. Johns: 223

Nassau: 61

Baker: 25

Putnam: 127

Jacksonville’s work-from-home mandate to expire next week

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Tuesday that his work-from-home executive order will expire next week and that he believes the city is ready to begin the next step of reopening.

Curry’s executive order, which requires businesses to allow any employee who can work from home to do so, will expire Monday. | Read more

Prom plans derailed for Jacksonville seniors

High school seniors have waited years for senior prom. Some already had dresses and suits purchased.

Now, they’re left to wonder if it was all for nothing. | Read more

St. Augustine city manager reverses decision to cancel July 4 fireworks, plans final decision in May

St. Augustine’s city manager decided to reverse a decision to cancel the city’s July 4 fireworks because of the COVID-19 threat after learning that information he relied on was incorrect, he said Tuesday.

At Monday’s Commission meeting, St. Augustine commissioners followed City Manager John Regan’s advice in deciding to cancel July 4 fireworks and possibly have the fireworks at a later date. | Read more

Pelosi unveils $3T virus bill, warns inaction costs more

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a more than $3 trillion coronavirus aid package Tuesday, providing nearly $1 trillion for states and cities, “hazard pay” for essential workers and a new round of cash payments to individuals.

The House is expected to vote on the package as soon as Friday, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said there is no “urgency.” | Read more

Map of coronavirus cases and deaths in the U.S.

Starter

Virtual high school graduations kick off with St. Johns Virtual School

St. Johns County high school graduations kicked off as scheduled on Tuesday, starting with St. Johns Virtual School.

The district decided to cancel traditional graduations due to the threat of the novel coronavirus. So instead they arranged a virtual commencement to honor seniors. | Read more

Counterfeit masks reaching frontline health workers in U.S.

Counterfeit goods continue to pour in — not just masks, but also mislabeled medicines, and fake COVID-19 tests and cures, according to a government agency. | Read more

Most Jacksonville-area hospitals get top safety grades

Eight Northeast Florida hospitals received “A” grades in a national health care watchdog organization’s latest patient-safety survey.

Among other things, the data tracks 28 measures, including medical errors, injuries, accidents and infections to show how well hospitals prevent patient harm. | Read more

Orange Park hospital opens new outpatient testing, imaging space of planned patient tower

As Florida eases some COVID-19 restrictions at health care facilities, Orange Park Medical Center has opened the first phase of a $62 million, 101,435-square-foot patient tower. | Read more

Farm Share sets free food distributions in Middleburg, Jacksonville

More food distributions are set for Duval and Clay counties this week.

Farm Share, a statewide food nonprofit, will hold five free food giveaways this week in Northeast Florida. | Read more

Singer Mama Blue, Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo team up in Session 904

Concert season isn’t yet back in full swing yet, but a Jacksonville singer and a strong-legged placekicker joined forces to bring the First Coast some musical entertainment Tuesday night.

The first installment of Session 904 took place Tuesday at Daily’s Place, with Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo and Jacksonville singer Mama Blue. | Read more

Fauci warns of ‘suffering and death’ if U.S. reopens too soon

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned bluntly Tuesday of “really serious” consequences of suffering, death and deeper economic damage if state and local officials lift stay-at-home orders too quickly, even as President Donald Trump pushes them to act to right a free-falling economy.

Fauci’s testimony before a Senate committee came as more than two dozen states have begun to lift their lockdowns as a first step toward economic recovery. | Read more

As Trump urges reopening, thousands getting sick on the job

Even as President Donald Trump urges getting people back to work and reopening the economy, an Associated Press analysis shows thousands of people are getting sick from COVID-19 on the job.

Recent figures show a surge of infections in meatpacking and poultry-processing plants. | Read more

DOT warns airlines – again – to issue refunds for canceled flights after receiving 25,000 complaints

After a surge in traveler complaints about airline ticket refunds during the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its second warning in as many months to airlines on Tuesday.

The agency said it has received more than 25,000 air travel service complaints in March and April. | Read more

Florida college grads face uncertain job market

Donnetta Heflin completed her requirements. She’s graduated from Bethune-Cookman University.

Yet forces much greater than her — the coronavirus pandemic and accompanying economic crisis with employers shedding more than 20 million jobs — have turned her pinnacle into a valley. | Read more

Elon Musk becomes champion of defying virus stay-home orders

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has emerged as a champion of defying stay-home orders intended to stop the coronavirus from spreading, picking up support — as well as critics — on social media.

Among the supporters was President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday morning tweeted that Tesla’s San Francisco Bay Area factory should be allowed to open despite local health department orders that it stay closed except for minimum basic operations. | Read more

Tracking the spread of coronavirus cases in the US and worldwide

Starter

Coronavirus in Jacksonville: Answers to your questions

Readers across the First Coast have questions about the COVID-19 outbreak. Now, the Times-Union has some answers. | Read more

Many restaurants remain open for take-out, delivery

Looking to support local businesses staying open during the coronavirus pandemic? Want a meal or a drink to take home?

Many restaurants in the Jacksonville area area offering takeout, curbside or drive-thru options to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. | Read more

Acts of kindness, good deeds, how area residents are helping others

When times are tough, Jacksonville’s people come through for each other.

While it’s important to read the latest news about coronavirus, it’s also good for us to read about the good deeds, the random acts of kindness and the stories about people helping those around them. These stories are sure to make you smile or inspire you on ways you give back to your community. | Read more

Testing site locations in Duval and Northeast Florida

More COVID-19 testing sites have recently opened - and more will soon open.

We’ll keep a list here of all testing sites for Jacksonville, Nassau, Clay, St. Johns, Baker and Putnam counties. | Read more

Laid off? 7 steps to take, and phone calls to make, now

The laid-off line cook was confused and tearful as she pondered the sudden loss of her $400-a-week job at a Lake Worth Beach restaurant.

Economists expect the crippling shutdown to put hundreds of thousands of Floridians — and millions of Americans — out of work. Mortgage lenders and others are stepping in to offer assistance. | Read more

Stimulus check: Calculate how much money you could get

The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping $2 trillion stimulus package that aims to help people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

People who are still working, those who are unemployed, those who are self-employed and contractors would all benefit. Businesses also stand to get financial assistance to avoid closing down or laying off employees because of the economic effect of the pandemic. | Read more

Ticket Tracker: What’s canceled, postponed, rescheduled or still on?

Dozens of concerts were canceled due to the coronavirus — and more might still be coming — but many now have new dates. | Read more

FAQ: Coronavirus

Coronavirus is spreading in the U.S. Here's everything to know, from symptoms to how to protect yourself. [USA TODAY]

Worried about the coronavirus (COVID-19)? Here is what you should be aware of, from symptoms to best practices for avoiding the disease, including what you should do if you suspect you have contracted coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. | Read more