If hospitals get overwhelmed, Florida is silent on who survives

Who lives, and who dies, if coronavirus patients overwhelm hospitals and force doctors to ration beds, ventilators and care? It’s a distressing but vital question to ask during a pandemic. In Florida, however, it’s one health officials wouldn’t answer. State officials have punted this ethical dilemma to health care providers, who in response have filled the void with a patchwork of protocols as Florida nears its peak period of hospitalizations for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Showdown looms at Florida’s nursing homes

A showdown is brewing over money, power and transparency at Florida’s long-term care facilities, just as novel coronavirus cases are exploding. Nursing homes are demanding more protection from the state for their vulnerable populations. The powerful nursing home trade associations are seeking protection for their members from financial losses they could incur as a result of the pandemic. [Source: Lakeland Ledger]

See also:
» State releases names of nursing home with COVID-19

Florida receives $4.1 billion under CARES Act

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Florida is getting more than $4.1 billion in federal relief through the CARES Act. DeSantis said the money is meant to help the state respond to and recover from the coronavirus. The $4.1 billion is 50% of Florida’s total allocation under the CARES Act. [Source: WJCT]

Florida health care workers can get free child care

The state of Florida is offering a lifeline to critical first responders and health care workers serving on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic by offering free child care for up to three months for parents serving in those capacities. The program, sponsored by Florida’s Office of Early Learning, began April 1 and is open to a broad range of health care workers and first responders living in the state of Florida. [Source: Northwest Florida Daily News]

South Florida doctors starting trials of stem cell treatment for severe COVID-19 cases

Doctors in South Florida are starting trials on a new method to treat the most severe coronavirus patients. Later this week, Dr. Camillo Ricordi, the UM Miller School of Medicine and the Jackson Health System will begin FDA-approved clinical trials, testing the effects of stem cells from umbilical cords on patients fighting COVID-19. [Source: CBS 12]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› How Central Florida health care workers can sign up for hydroxychloroquine clinical trial [WUSF]
Recruitment is underway in Orlando, Leesburg and Daytona Beach for a clinical trial to see if hydroxychloroquine could help prevent COVID-19 infections. The Healthcare Worker Exposure and Outcomes, or HERO, initiative will recruit 100,000 health care workers in a registry nationwide.

› Tenet Healthcare furloughs 10 percent of its employees [Palm Beach Post]
Hospital giant Tenet Healthcare Corp. announced this week that it has put one-tenth of its employees on furlough due to reductions in elective surgeries and other services forced by the coronavirus. For its five hospitals in Palm Beach County, the furloughs amount to a 3.5 percent reduction in the workforce. Spokeswoman Shelly Weiss Friedberg said that none of those furloughed in Palm Beach County are medical personnel or on the front lines of COVID-19 care.

› U.S. Army Corps of Engineers complete construction of field hospital at Miami Beach Convention Center [WSVN]
In under two weeks, the Miami Beach Convention Center has been transformed into a field hospital and is ready to be used, if need be. The 500,000 square-foot space has been transformed and now holds 450 hospital beds. The construction has been completed in less than 14 days under the guidance and direction of Chief Engineer Col. Drew Kelly.

› St. Augustine will soon hand out 900 thermometers. Here's how to get one [Health News Florida]
The city of St. Augustine plans to start its smart thermometer distribution project on Tuesday, April 21, by first targeting people who work with the public and families with multiple children. Residents are asked to call the city to see whether they qualify for a free thermometer.