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Local officials called for a halt to mass gatherings in Leon County, and cancelled two major festivals and government meetings, as they prepare for the possibility of coronavirus making its way to the capital city.

Hospital officials from both Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Capital Regional Medical Center detailed their efforts in setting up screening areas if, or most certainly when, a local case does surface.

“We are going to have to change how we do business and how we go about life for the near future,” said Mayor John Dailey in front of City Hall. “While we do not yet have a positive case of COVID-19 in the Tallahassee community, we do anticipate that we will in the near future.”

Dailey followed the lead of Gov. Ron DeSantis Thursday who urged that all mass gatherings around the state be canceled to prevent the outbreak from overwhelming doctors and hospitals. The virus’ wide-ranging spread closed California’s Disneyland and caused the cancellation of all major league sports and tournaments around the country.

Dailey urged avoiding large gatherings, staying home if sick and continuing to practice good hygiene. City employees will be allowed to operate from home and the March 25 City Commission meeting has been canceled.

Advanced disinfection of city buses has been underway for the past two weeks, said City Manager Reese Goad. Routes around Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College will be curtailed as they limit students’ return after spring break.

Dailey also announced that city utility services would not be turned off for the next 60 days.

“We will provide utilities,” he said. “As our community addresses the spread of the virus, it is imperative that our businesses and residents have access to all essential utilities.”

Dailey said local leaders are “laser focused” on the health and safety of the community.

County Commission Chairman Bryan Desloge echoed the mayor’s comments and assured people that preventative measures now would help immensely down the road.

“While Leon County remains free, as the mayor pointed out, of COVID-19 for now, we have to do everything in our power to make sure it stays that way,” he said.

The county has also canceled any event with more than 250 attendees, including the upcoming Leon Works job fair. Desloge encouraged other event organizers to do the same.

“While this may very well disrupt lives, it also may save lives.”

The Leon County Detention Facility, meanwhile, announced it was suspending all in-person visitation. Inmates can still be contacted via telephone or postal mail. Attorneys are encouraged to contact the detention facility to schedule meetings.

Hospitals say 'we're ready'

TMH officials said they are setting up a screening area on their campus in anticipation of the first case being discovered in the community.

Chief Medical Officer Ryan Smith said a site was being set up on site that would be moved somewhere else if a case does surface. He said eight people have been tested so far at TMH and “there’s no limit to the number of tests we have available.”

Alan Keesee, the CEO of Capital Regional Medical Center, said his staff have been working on access control of coming into the hospital.

“(It) has been escalated to ensure the safety of our patients and our visitors and our physicians and our nurses and other clinical staff,” he said. “We screen folks when they’re entering the building so that we can appropriately provide the care they need.”

He said protective gear like masks are in abundance there with a two-month supply on hand.

He also said testing capability is being increased with third-party labs “to ensure all the residents or folks who might be impacted have access to all the necessary tests and to ensure we can provide the clinical care they need.”

“Lord willing, we will not encounter our first case as we have not done so yet, but we’re ready in case we do.”

Major events being canceled

In a blow to local businesses and residents, the 52nd Annual Springtime Tallahassee and Word of South festivals were canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Organizers made the call Thursday afternoon after DeSantis and Dailey urged the cancellation or postponement of mass-crowd events throughout the state for the next 30 days.

Coordinators for both events said earlier this week they had planned to move forward with events unless they were shut down by authorities.

Both events attract tens of thousands of residents and visitors to the capital city. Springtime Tallahassee was slated to take place March 27 and March 28. Word of South, a music and literature festival, was scheduled for April 3 through April 5.

"Springtime Tallahassee is very disappointed that we cannot go forward with the festival on March 27-28 as planned,” said Jennifer Shafer, executive director for Springtime Tallahassee. “But it is in the best interest of the community as a whole, and we are abiding by the mayor’s directive that the festival has to be cancelled for those dates."

Word of South founder Mark Mustian said dates have been secured for next year's festival for April 9-11.

"We'll be back bigger and better than ever," he said.

During the press conference at City Hall, Dailey said Springtime Tallahassee and Word of South are “two events that we love.”

He also announced that the statewide Electric Lineman competition and senior games being held in Tallahassee this week will be closed to the public

DeSantis recommended local municipalities and private entities to strongly consider limiting or postponing mass gatherings.

"This is an opportunity, our health officials believe, where some of these large-scale events can be postponed and do it later,” he said.

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