Broward Retirement Community Opens Up Amid Coronavirus Concerns; Caribbean Princess Docks At Port Everglades
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Belmont Village is a state of the art senior living facility for over 200 people and while the celebration is about the grand opening, it is clear that the coronavirus isn't far away from anyone's mind.
The ribbon-cutting ushers in a bit of a game-changer for seniors in South Florida.
Belmont Village offers luxury independent assisted living and memory care and is designed to keep residents active.
So, they can be physically socially and mentally fit. There is also a great emphasis on keeping everyone healthy.
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CBS4's Joan Murray spoke to Belmont Village's CEO Patricia Will and Broward's Mayor Dale Holness about the challenges moving ahead during the coronavirus outbreak.
"Our preventive measures start with training on the inside and infection control on the inside. But we have to be careful about the outside coming in. We have an automated screening mechanism. Everyone, who comes to our community signs into a screen and it has layers to clear you as to where you've traveled outside the country. Of you're not feeling well," said Will.
Murray asked Mayor Holness if this was the biggest challenge of his political career. Here is what he had to say:
"Absolutely. It is. Never before have you been faced with something like this. A hurricane, you know it's coming. You have some experience as to how to deal with it. This is something unprecedented in terms of the scope and the size of the spread and how fast it moves."
"I told someone this morning, it shows how connected human beings are."
Now, three of the four people with the virus work for an independent contractor at Port Everglades.
Mayor Holness tells CBS4 he has gotten assurances from the Florida Health Department.
They are now trying to reach every person. Literally, thousands of them who may have come in contact with those workers at the port and inform those passengers about the risk of the virus.
New resident Dorothy Judd says she's not overly anxious about the coronavirus, "Not me just living my life but no handshakes, just elbows," she said.
Meanwhile, at Port Everglades, the Caribbean Princess finally docked after being stuck at sea for over two days.
The ship could not dock over two crew members who had been exposed on another ship. They tested 'negative' for the coronavirus.
Passengers had mixed reviews.
One passenger saying he thought the cruise ship kept them in the dark about the coronavirus scare.
Another passenger said the delay was no big deal and there was plenty to do onboard.
The passengers on the Caribbean Princess are in the clear but the state health department is trying to track down thousands of prior cruise passengers who may have come into contact with three part-time Princess Cruise Ship greeters who are sick.
"What the department is doing is making sure they are isolated to prevent further spread." said Broward Mayor Dale Holness.
As for coworkers of the three sick employees, their employer Metro Cruise Services says they have been told to stay home if they are ill
and get medical treatment.
