Do you think that Disney world will reclose its gates due to the rising number of COVID cases in Florida and around the country?

[Miss Bella]

Parks maybe, but resorts, not likely. That was already one of the concerns Florida had: if hotels are closed, where do people evacuate to? The pressure to keep the resorts open is likely going to stay high.

But can you imagine trying to evacuate ICU COVID patients in the event that a hurricane is on track for hitting Miami or Tampa? Hopefully, hospital backup power systems have not been subject to hospital covid budget cuts. I don't think the media would stop focusing on covid numbers in a hurricane. They'll set up shop outside the largest potentially affected hospitals asking about their evacuation / shelter in place plans. I know there are already concerns about what do with the field hospital at the Miami Beach Convention Center this fall, because is in a flood zone. It won't be covid or hurricane, it will be covid+hurricane. So prepare now (moderators, this means you, it will be awful ).

Do they normally evacuate hospitals in hurricanes? I honestly don’t know I’ve never lived in hurricane state. I have friends from Florida they said they would sleep at the hospital and they weren’t allowed to evacuate with their families. Hospitals have been getting money from the federal government. I’m not sure what you mean by Covid budget cuts.

 

[Bob Harlem]

Do they normally evacuate hospitals in hurricanes? I honestly don’t know I’ve never lived in hurricane state. I have friends from Florida they said they would sleep at the hospital and they weren’t allowed to evacuate with their families. Hospitals have been getting money from the federal government. I’m not sure what you mean by Covid budget cuts.

Typically not unless there's a particular reason (storm surge flooding comes to mind), Tampa General Hospital is a very storm surge prone section of Tampa (right on the bay), if any one would need to, that one would. Just no storm has a trajectory in modern times that would affect Tampa like that so far.

 

[SoFloMagic]

Man, we thought the air conditioning debate was bad...

I have a proposal: We could accept science and just discuss the very difficult equation (high covid cases vs great mitigation proceedures) that must be on all their minds right now

Thoughts?

 

[hopemax]

Do they normally evacuate hospitals in hurricanes? I honestly don’t know I’ve never lived in hurricane state. I have friends from Florida they said they would sleep at the hospital and they weren’t allowed to evacuate with their families. Hospitals have been getting money from the federal government. I’m not sure what you mean by Covid budget cuts.

You haven’t heard of hospitals laying off staff due to the lost revenue from decreased procedures? Every business has had to reevaluate their budget priorities. I'm just going to guess, that like Disney, hospital maintenance projects have been put on hold since March. I'm also going to guess in all the hurricane disaster plans, coastal hospital administrators never thought about the possibility that inland hospitals would not be able to accept patient transfers because of high volumes in those hospitals.

And yes, hospitals fully or partially evacuate (NICUs and ICUs) in advance or more common, I think, after hurricanes, if there is concern for loss of power, damage or flooding. Houston had to evacuate several afterwards due to flooding during Harvey. Prior to Dorian, several east coast FL hospitals evacuated their ICU patients, a Savannah hospital flew their NICU babies to Atlanta. Hospitals around Panama City had to evacuate after Michael due to damage. Even in NYC, there were patient evacuations due to flood damage suffered during Sandy.

 

[Miss Bella]

Typically not unless there's a particular reason (storm surge flooding comes to mind), Tampa General Hospital is a very storm surge prone section of Tampa (right on the bay), if any one would need to, that one would. Just no storm has a trajectory in modern times that would affect Tampa like that so far.

Thanks. I always watch the hurricane coverage on TV. I remember the issues a few hospitals and nursing homes had in Katrina, but I can’t recall anything from Florida.

 

[Lilofan]

You haven’t heard of hospitals laying off staff due to the lost revenue from decreased procedures? Every business has had to reevaluate their budget priorities. I'm just going to guess, that like Disney, hospital maintenance projects have been put on hold since March. I'm also going to guess in all the hurricane disaster plans, coastal hospital administrators never thought about the possibility that inland hospitals would not be able to accept patient transfers because of high volumes in those hospitals.

And yes, hospitals fully or partially evacuate (NICUs and ICUs) in advance or more common, I think, after hurricanes, if there is concern for loss of power, damage or flooding. Houston had to evacuate several afterwards due to flooding during Harvey. Prior to Dorian, several east coast FL hospitals evacuated their ICU patients, a Savannah hospital flew their NICU babies to Atlanta. Hospitals around Panama City had to evacuate after Michael due to damage. Even in NYC, there were patient evacuations due to flood damage suffered during Sandy.

That's a good point. When a Cat 4 or 5 is going to make landfall in an area, the hospitals are evacuated. With this covid mess, that would be a living nightmare.

 

[Polkadotdress]

Do they normally evacuate hospitals in hurricanes? I honestly don’t know I’ve never lived in hurricane state. I have friends from Florida they said they would sleep at the hospital and they weren’t allowed to evacuate with their families. Hospitals have been getting money from the federal government. I’m not sure what you mean by Covid budget cuts.

Depends on whether or not the hospital is in a low-lying flood zone and/or it’s in a mandatory evacuation zone.

Here’s an excellent article outline what steps were taken during Hurricane Dorian.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article234654562.html

 

[Miss Bella]

You haven’t heard of hospitals laying off staff due to the lost revenue from decreased procedures? Every business has had to reevaluate their budget priorities. I'm just going to guess, that like Disney, hospital maintenance projects have been put on hold since March. I'm also going to guess in all the hurricane disaster plans, coastal hospital administrators never thought about the possibility that inland hospitals would not be able to accept patient transfers because of high volumes in those hospitals.

And yes, hospitals fully or partially evacuate (NICUs and ICUs) in advance or more common, I think, after hurricanes, if there is concern for loss of power, damage or flooding. Houston had to evacuate several afterwards due to flooding during Harvey. Prior to Dorian, several east coast FL hospitals evacuated their ICU patients, a Savannah hospital flew their NICU babies to Atlanta. Hospitals around Panama City had to evacuate after Michael due to damage. Even in NYC, there were patient evacuations due to flood damage suffered during Sandy.

Well I’m sure anyone laid off won’t have a problem getting a job now. My phone is blowing up everyday. Hospitals got 22 billion in the cares act. Whatever losses they incurred I’m sure they are making up for it now.
Thanks for the info on evacuations. Ive always been curious about it.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Well I’m sure anyone laid off won’t have a problem getting a job now. My phone is blowing up everyday. Hospitals got 22 billion in the cares act. Whatever losses they incurred I’m sure they are making up for it now.
Thanks for the info on evacuations. Ive always been curious about it.

Even though our hospital is nearly back to normal business levels, for the rest of the year, I still took an involuntary 10% pay cut and my employer isn't matching my retirement contributions.

Even with aid from the state and federal government, we took a big financial hit.

 

[Miss Bella]

Even though our hospital is nearly back to normal business levels, for the rest of the year, I still took an involuntary 10% pay cut and my employer isn't matching my retirement contributions.

Even with aid from the state and federal government, we took a big financial hit.

Are you on the administrative side of things?

 

[chrisvee]

I am now sorry I read the forecast for the Gulf.

 

[Jedijax719]

Sorry if this has already been asked.

Have there been ANY confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Disney World (or anyone who visited and tested positive when they returned)?

Also, what is/will be the protocol if there are any confirmed cases at or from WDW? Would they close the entire park down again if they have any cases? Is there a protocol in place?

 

[YodaMan]

Sorry if this has already been asked.

Have there been ANY confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Disney World (or anyone who visited and tested positive when they returned)?

Also, what is/will be the protocol if there are any confirmed cases at or from WDW? Would they close the entire park down again if they have any cases? Is there a protocol in place?

The wording of the most recent reports pretty much confirm that people AT Disney have Covid but they can’t prove that anything was SPREAD at Disney so they’re not concerned. But with case counts being so astronomically high, they’ll never truly prove (or try to prove) community spread from WDW specifically.

 

[TeriofTerror]

FWIW:

 

[Jrb1979]

FWIW:

If true its disgusting and makes me angry these parks are doing this to their employees. No wonder cases are out of control. Here when a business has an employee that it positive they shut down for a day and do cleaning. They also let people who have been to said business they may have come in contact with a person with Covid-19. For some reason none of the parks have any interest in doing that.

 

[Lilofan]

If true its disgusting and makes me angry these parks are doing this to their employees. No wonder cases are out of control. Here when a business has an employee that it positive they shut down for a day and do cleaning. They also let people who have been to said business they may have come in contact with a person with Covid-19. For some reason none of the parks have any interest in doing that.

FWIW:

Reading the letter it looks like the person works at Universal Orlando. The writer refers to a sister park. The writer also refers to an unplanned two week vacation ( didn't mention with pay ) . I believe if it a cast member at WDW that takes an unplanned two vacation, they are paid for the time away from work from the union/company agreement.

 

[TeriofTerror]

Reading the letter it looks like the person works at Universal Orlando. The writer refers to a sister park. The writer also refers to an unplanned two week vacation ( didn't mention with pay ) . I believe if it a cast member at WDW that takes an unplanned two vacation, they are paid for the time away from work from the union/company agreement.

That's just what I told my husband (he's the one who sent this to me). And other than Disney Springs, most of the anecdotal reports of infected employees seem to be centered around Universal.
And of course, there's no way I can verify - or vouch for the validity of - a Reddit post. But it seemed topical, so I thought I'd share.

 

[threvester]

Duck Season!

So sad they took away the gun...never to be seen again...comedy gold

 

[Heppenheimer]

Are you on the administrative side of things?

I'm a practicing physician, but I'm on the hospital board.

 

[Dizneykid]

FWIW:

1. I have a hard time legitimizing that but I genuinely ask how a random employee would know that many people are sick with covid? 12-20 per attraction? Are we to believe that a higher up employee would expose this kind of information? I feel like the place would certainly close down if that many people were testing positive. You couldn't conceal that. I know some businesses are sketchy but most theme parks closed voluntarily before they had to. And now we're supposed to believe that they don't care about known spread within the parks?

2. Is this thing airborne or not? And what is the difference? Is droplet spread someone within 6 feet sneezing directly on you or near you and airborne is infecting someone by lingering particles in the air when the person is not near you?