Coronavirus causes travel problems around the world: Bing

By Glynn Wilson –

PENSACOLA, Fla. — As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the landscape, bringing devastation to economies around the world, the state of Florida has established transportation checkpoints and neighboring Alabama is ordering all non-essential businesses to close by Saturday at 5 p.m.

According to the latest numbers available as of this writing, there are 597,252 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with 27,365 deaths and 133,363 reported recovered. In the United States, there are 104,671 confirmed cases with 1,711 deaths and 2,465 recovered. Keep in mind that the actual numbers are much higher, since many cases where people do not have symptoms will go unreported.

In Florida, there are officially 3,198 confirmed cases and 46 deaths, while Alabama is reporting only 537 cases and 3 deaths, although it is not clear that the Republican administration in Montgomery is being transparent still in reporting the actual numbers through the state Department of Public Health. These numbers are estimates based on computer modeling and reporting that is available.

New York is reporting 44,635 cases and 583 deaths, while Louisiana shows 2,746 cases and 119 deaths.

Due to the amount of travel from New York and Louisiana to Florida, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis this week issued orders for travelers from Louisiana to self-isolate for 14 days, along with those from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, after Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson asked that the executive order be expanded to include Louisiana due to the growing pandemic there.

DeSantis also authorized counties and the Florida Highway Patrol to set up checkpoints on the state’s border to enforce the orders, although there was no checkpoint as of Saturday morning along Alabama State Highway 137 south of Andalusia, according to Mark Hainds, who is setting up selling mushrooms, jelly and smoking woods at the East Hill Market in Pensacola on Saturdays since the Palafox Market downtown was closed a few weeks ago.

“There’s a fear that as New Orleans becomes more of a hot spot, that you could have an influx of people into the Florida Panhandle from Louisiana,” DeSantis said according to the local newspaper. “So I will be adding to my New York executive order. We will be requiring the same for travelers from New Orleans, Louisiana, and other parts of Louisiana to self-isolate for 14 days.”

DeSantis said the order won’t apply to commercial transportation, but it will authorize the use of checkpoints on roads coming into the state for counties and state police to notify travelers from Louisiana and other affected states that they must self-isolate for 14 days. The order also applies to airports.

DeSantis also suspended any new vacation rentals for two weeks to discourage people from traveling to the state.

“Again, the concern is that people in some of these hot spots wanting to then come here,” DeSantis said. “Now is really not the time to do that. If you’re in one now, then finish and go home, but for any new rentals, there’s going to be a suspension on that.”

Alabama

Meanwhile in Alabama, the state’s Republican Governor Kay Ivey ordered all non-essential businesses in the state to close on Saturday, March 28, by 5 p.m. and remain closed until at least April 17, but she stopped short of ordering a statewide shelter-in-place requirement.

“Folks, this is serious and this is real,” Ivey said. “We must be serious about eliminating the spread of this deadly virus.”

As for a shelter-in-place order, Ivey said “she has to keep an eye on the economy.”

“I have the responsibility to look statewide and in this case, one size does not fit all,” she added. “We can’t print enough money in Washington D.C. to bring businesses back to life. Individually, if people want to impose their own shelter in place, they do not need my permission to do so.”

The order prohibits non-work related gatherings of 10 people or more or any gathering where people can’t maintain 6-foot distance from each other.

Grocery stores, gas station and pharmacies will remain open, as will gun stores, according to the order, but businesses that aren’t included on the list may remain open, which includes the state-owned ABC liquor stores.

I mean what fun would a pandemic spring break be without more guns and plenty of booze, right?

A list of the businesses considered non-essential include:

Entertainment venues, including nightclubs bowling alleys, arcades, theaters, tourist attractions and adult entertainment venues. That also incluldes casinos, social clubs, athletic facilities and activities, fitness centers and commercial gyms, spas, public and commercial swimming pools, and all spectator sports.

The closure list also includes any “close-contact activities,” such as barber shps and hair salons, waxing, threading and nail salons, body-art and tattoo services, tanning salons and massage parlors. Most retail stores are also on the list, other than grocery stores, gas stations and fast food restaurants with drive-ins.

Department stores and furniture stores are on the list, along with clothing, shoes and accessory stores, as well as jewelry and luggage stores, sporting goods stores, book stores and craft and record shops.

Alabama’s beaches will remain closed at least through April 17, and all private schools, colleges and universities wil remain closed for the same time period. Health orders remain in place for daycare centers.

Counties and cities are free to enact their own measures in addition to the state regulations.