Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Getting Tested

STATE OF FLORIDA CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION HOTLINE: (866) 779-6121
Questions related to COVID-19 should be directed to the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121 or by email at COVID-19@FLHealth.gov. The Call Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! 

BROWARD COUNTY CORONAVIRUS CALL CENTER HOTLINE: (954) 412-7300
Residents of Broward County concerned they may have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms should call 954-412-7300 before travelling to any health care facility.

AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER SENIOR HELP LINE:  (954) 745-9779
* Seniors may call this line for help with meals and other issues.

Plasma Donations from COVID-19 Survivors Needed 

Memorial Healthcare System announced it has been registered to participate in Mayo Clinic’s Convalescent Plasma Expanded Access Program to test the use of donated blood as a treatment for people with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Broward County-based hospital system is urging community members who fully recovered from COVID-19 to donate potentially lifesaving plasma. Memorial Healthcare System has partnered with OneBlood for the plasma collection.

According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies to the disease in their blood, referred to as convalescent plasma. Researchers hope convalescent plasma can be given to people with severe COVID-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus. The immediate goal of this research is to determine if convalescent plasma can improve the chance of recovery for people with the most severe symptoms. A second goal is to test whether convalescent plasma can help keep people who are moderately sick from getting sicker.

Donors must meet all of the required screening criteria for blood donation and the additional FDA criteria, which include:

• Prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by an FDA approved laboratory test
• Complete resolution of symptoms at least 14 days prior to donation and a documented negative COVID-19 FDA approved test OR
• Complete resolution of symptoms at least 28 days prior to donation

If a potential donor meets the identified criteria, they should fill out the form online at https://www.oneblood.org/CCP/CCP-form-donor.stml.

Helpful Links and Resources

• Stay informed on the latest CDC recommendations to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) by visiting their website: coronavirus.gov 
• Florida Department of Health
• Broward County
• Broward County Public Schools
• General Prevention Tips Poster
• COVID-19 Symptoms Poster
• Stop the Spread of Germs Poster
• Coronavirus Fact Sheet:
• English version
• Spanish version
• World Health Organization

During these unprecedented times, exceptional measures are needed. The City implemented a special policy in mid-March to immediately suspend water disconnections and late fees while offering payment extensions. These policies will remain in effect through June. 

To request assistance, please click here to complete the COVID-19 Payment Assistance Request Form. Several organizations are offering financial assistance to families in need. Click here to learn more about these programs and organizations.

The Utility Billing Division will continue to work with customers one-on-one as we prepare to carefully transition back to our standard policies in July. 

We request that you follow the social distancing recommendations issued by the CDC as we open. For your convenience, the City of Margate offers several options for paying your utility bill. Please continue to make your utility payments by: 

• Regular mail
  City of Margate
  PO Box 30318
  Tampa, FL 33630-3318
• Parking lot drop box located at 901 NW 66th Avenue
• Online payments: https://eservices.margatefl.com/Click2GovCXP/index.html  
• AMSCOT: 670 N. State Road 7
  Open 24/7. There is NO SERVICE FEE for payments made at AMSCOT at this time. Cash payment accepted.
• Bill Pay through your bank
• Enroll in automatic payments

Cash and in-person payments at the DEES building are suspended until further notice.

New to Margate?

If you purchased a new house, please email the signed settlement statement and photo identification to waterbills@margatefl.com. A new account will be opened and an email will be sent with the account number, instruction on how to pay the deposit and useful information regarding water, sewer and garbage service.

If you are renting, please email a signed copy of the lease to waterbills@margatefl.com.

In an effort to connect the Margate business community with the latest information and resources available, the City of Margate has compiled important contact information for accessing disaster recovery funding as well as business guides to help navigate through the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

Federal Assistance

• Coronavirus Emergency Loans - Small Business Guide and Checklist
• Title IV –  Economic Stabilization and Assistance to Severely Distressed Sectors of the United States Economy
• Guide to the Employee Retention Tax Credit
• Guide to SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans

Updates from Governor Ron DeSantis (March 17, 2020):

• Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The bridge loan program will provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury from COVID-19.

The application period starts March 17, 2020 and runs through May 8, 2020. More information is at FloridaDisasterLoan.org

• Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Guidance for Business
  • FDOH COVID-19 Toolkit
  • Questions? Call 866-799-6121 or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov. The call center is available 24/7.
    
• Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Guidance for Business
  • Damage Assessment Survey
    • For inquiries or assistance with the survey, contact Emergency Support Function 18 at ESF18@em.myflorida.com
• Financial Assistance for Businesses
  • Funding Programs
  • Disaster Loans

• Please take a moment to complete the State of Florida Business Damage Assessment survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Florida’s local business operations. The survey, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), will evaluate businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy so actions to implement appropriate relief programs can begin: https://floridadisaster.biz/

The most up-to-date information can be found on the Office of Economic & Small Business Development website, www.Broward.org/EconDev, and Broward.org/Coronavirus.

As always, we are here to serve the businesses in this time of need; please do not hesitate to contact Paul Robinson at: probinson@margatefl.com or 954-884-3687 with any questions.

• If you are a senior, 60 years or older, please call the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) (M-F, 8 a.m. -5 p.m.) at (954) 745-9779 for more information or visit adrcbroward.org. 
• Department of Health in Broward County at 954-412-7300
• Florida Department of Elder Affairs: COVID-19 Call Center is available 24/7 | 866-779-6121 |  Covid-19@flhealth.gov
• If you are currently not the recipient of any meal programs and are experiencing a food shortage, you can call the Elder Helpline at 954.745.9779 for assistance.
• AARP Town Hall – Web-based or Call-in Information: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/tele-town-hall-coronavirus.html?intcmp=ALRT-VIRUS-TOWN-HALL
• AHCA Guidance regarding Nursing Home/ALF Restrictions: https://www.fhca.org/facility_operations/ahca_covid_emergency_order_faqs
• Coronavirus-specific Consumer Scam Alert: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/DDE8965546C4337E8525852D005583E9
• U.S. Census Consumer Scam Alert: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/9B1D596BB3DACE9B852585120056D578?Open&
• The Northwest Focal Point Senior Center is closed until further notice.

Practice everyday preventive actions to help reduce your risk of getting sick and remind everyone in your home to do the same. These actions are especially important for older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects
  (e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles).

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.  If surfaces are dirty, clean them using detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. To disinfect, most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. See CDC’s recommendations for household cleaning and disinfection.