According to the Jan. 3 White House COVID-19 Task Force report obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, Florida is the red zone for increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, for test positivity and high levels of community transmission in nearly 90% of the counties.
Among the metropolitan statistical areas in the red are Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, Crestview-Fort Walton-Destin and Panama City. The Pensacola MSA only ranked behind Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach.
Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Bay counties are also in the red.
DOH Escambia Director Mott failed to pass along this information to the Escambia Board of County Commissioners when she addressed them at yesterday’s agenda review.
The White House COVID-19 Task Force report is based on state reports as of Dec. 20. The situation has gotten much worse since then.
Escambia County has had 6,025 more COVID cases and the positivity rate has gone from 9.25% to 15.61%. The county has had 104 more COVID deaths and 432 more hospitalizations.
Yesterday, Commissioner Jeff Bergosh praised county staff for adding to the county’s COVID dashboard the recovery rate – meaning those who didn’t die from the virus. Maybe the county should add how the White House COVID-19 Task Force measures the county.