News

On a recent weekday, the Pensacola News Journal published 19 death notices. When people die, final arrangements must be made, but things are different now because of COVID-19.

Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson is asking residents for a little more time, to help put the brakes on the local coronavirus outbreak.

Robinson, Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May, and other leaders this week met with officials from Baptist, Sacred Heard and West Florida, along with Northwest Florida Community Health and the Florida Department of Health. One topic dealt with the number of patients being checked for coronavirus as of Thursday.

With schools across the state closing because of the coronavirus, students of all ages are continuing the spring semester at home.

“As we’ve moved to remote instruction, we’ve had to move to remote advising and remote student services, and we’ve done it in a way that continues the important support that our students need," said University of West Florida President Martha Saunders in a video talking about the transition to online learning and student life at UWF.

The federal emergency funding being considered in Congress on Thursday could give help to workers and business owners in Northwest Florida struggling through  COVID-19.

In the nearly two weeks Ascension-Sacred Heart Hospital has been conducting its drive-through testing for coronavirus, the numbers have been increasing daily. And the program could live beyond the current crisis.

The idea was based on the volume of patients coming through Sacred Heart’s emergency room. Chief operating officer Justin Labrato says they wanted to make sure they could keep all patients and health care workers safe.

Given 72 hours to draw up a plan, the team looked at similar drive-throughs in the western states, and made some tweaks.

Florida’s battle against coronavirus is getting a new supply headquarters downstate, for distribution of needed equipment to help grassroots health care efforts.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and senior administration officials were at the state logistics center in Orlando on Wednesday, to illustrate Florida’s preparation for what’s expected to be an increase in the number of patients with COVID-19.

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise locally and across Florida, one Panhandle city is taking action.

Milton Mayor Heather Lindsey says a state of emergency has existed there since Monday, following declarations by Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa County. Under the city code, the mayor of Milton has the authority to make such a declaration for 72 hrs. Beyond that require City Council approval. Lindsey and the council met in emergency session Monday night, with the council agreeing to extend it to April 30.

It’s been a few days since Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered all restaurants and food establishments in the state to suspend all dine-in service and offer only delivery and take-out.

Locally, restaurants are making the required adjustments, so they can stay open.

At University Town Center, just a mile or so from the WUWF studios, cars in the Chick Fil A drive-through are wrapped around the building, as they usually are in the lunch hour. On this Tuesday, Panda Express and Panera’s also have some drive-through activity.

If he had his druthers, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would avoid imposing a statewide lock down because of the coronavirus. In his daily update on the disease, he outlined the thinking behind his position on Tuesday.

While several other governors have called for a statewide shutdown and stay-at-home orders because of the virus, DeSantis is shifting the onus to residents from elsewhere, especially from New York City.

Fraud schemes related to COVID-19 are on the rise in Florida, as scammers look to take advantage of people in various ways during the coronavirus pandemic.

This is not the time to let down your guard.

As of Monday night, Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office had received more than 600 complaints regarding products such as cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer and face masks. 

For this Gulf Stories Moment, we're joined by Dr. Athena du Pre, Distinguished University Professor from the Communications Department at UWF, who tells about effective ways to communicate with your health care provider.