Delay in FL National Guard's arrival to Charlotte County

The Florida National Guard was set to arrive in Charlotte County Monday to begin COVID-19 testing at long-term senior care facilities.

WITH FEWER THAN 2 PERCENT OFFLORIDA’S POPULATION TESTED FORTHE NOVEL CORORNAVIRUS ..MEMBERS OF OUT STATE’S NATIONALGUARD ARE FANNING OUT TO HELPWITH TESTING AT LONG TERM CAREFACILITIES..INCLUDING THOSE INCHARLOTTE COUNTY.

THOUGH THEY’VEBEEN A BIT DELAYED IN GETTINTHERE.4 IN YOUR CORNER’S SANDRARODRIGUEZ EXPLAINS.A FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD STRIKETEAM WERE SET TO ARRIVE INCHARLOTTE COUNTY MONDAY...THEIR MISSION━ TO HELP CONTAINTHE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AMONGOUR COMMUNITY’S MOST AT RISKPOPULATION PEOPLE LIVING INNURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED CAREFACILITIES46:13SOT(Brian Gleason, CommunicationsManager, Charlotte County):"The National Guard isresponding to a mission requesmade by the local department ofhealth office in coordinatiowith our Emergency Managementoffice, and the local nursinghomes To facilitate expandtesting in nursing homes wherewe’ve had clusters amongpatients and staff."BUT GLEASON SAYS THE TEAM WASREASSIGNED MONDAY TO ANOTHERCOMMUNITY... NOW -- THEIR NEWDATE OF ARRIVAL IS PENDING...2:37:17SOT(Brian Gleason, CommunicationsManager, Charlotte County):"As of now, we’ve identified 5facilities where we want to getahead of the testing and makesure we address those situationsand stop the spread."ALL 5 FACILITIES ARE ONFLORIDA’S NEWLY RELEASED LIST OFFACILITIES WITH CONFIRMED CASESOF COVID-19...DOUGLAS JACOBSON STATE VETERANSNURSING HOME IN PORT CHARLOTTEWILL BE THE STRIKE TEAMS FIRSTSTOP FOR TESTINGSOT(Roger Murry, spokesperson, FLDept.

Of Veterans Affair:"Right now, there are noresidents who have COVID-19 atthat particular facility."BUT TWO STAFF MEMBERS HAVEPENDING RESULTS ACCORDING TOMURRY━ A SPOKESPERSON FORDOUGLAS JACOBSON STATE VETERANSNURSING HOMESOT(Roger Murry, spokesperson,Dept.

Of Veterans Affairs):"In the case of one, her husbandtested positive and out ofabundance of caution we, ofcourse, asked herself-isolateTHAT STAFF MEMBER DID TEPOSITIVE AND IS WAITING FOR THERESULTS OF A SECOND TESTANOTHER FACILITY ON THE LIST ISSOUTH PORT SQUARE SENIOR LIVINGFACILITY WHERE THERE HAVE BEENTWO CONFIRMED RESIDENTS DEATHSFROM CORONAVIRUS...5:32:00SOT(Brian Gleason, CommunicationsManager, Charlotte County):"The lag time between testingand when results come in variesbetween the provider that isdoing the testing.

With theNational Guard, we’ll be able toget the testing results early."GLEASON SAYS TEST RESULTS TAKE 2TO 3 DAYS WHEN DONE BY THENATIONAL GUARDRIGHT NOW THERE ARE 1,785CONFIRMED CASES AMONG STAFF ANDRESIDENTS IN NURSING HOM