Three Additional Wynwood Florida Local Zika Cases Cited

[niman]

“Although three additional individuals in Wynwood have been identified with the Zika virus today, 

http://www.flgov.com/2016/08/11/gov-scott-doh-clears-additional-portion-of-impacted-area-in-wynwood/

Edited August 11, 2016 by niman

[niman]

Gov. Scott: DOH Clears Additional Portion of Impacted Area in Wynwood

On August 11, 2016, in News Releases, by Staff

http://www.flgov.com/2016/08/11/gov-scott-doh-clears-additional-portion-of-impacted-area-in-wynwood/

Area with local transmissions of Zika is less than one square mile

ORLANDO, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Health (DOH) has cleared an additional four blocks in the Southwest corner of the impacted zone in Wynwood. DOH has concluded that no local transmissions of Zika are occurring in the newly cleared area (see map below- shaded area denotes cleared areas). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pursuant to their guidance, will continue to monitor the entire one square mile area in Miami, north of downtown. Governor Scott also announced that DOH has identified three additional people in the impacted area with the Zika virus who likely contracted it through a mosquito bite. This brings the total number of people with locally transmitted Zika to 25. DOH still believes active transmissions are only taking place within the identified area that is less than one-square mile in Miami-Dade County.

Governor Scott said, “We believe active transmissions of Zika are still only occurring in an area in Miami that is less than one square mile. Last week, we were able to clear a 10 block portion of the area and today, it’s great to announce that we are able to clear an additional four blocks. This means the area where we believe active transmissions are occurring in the state is significantly reducing.

“Although three additional individuals in Wynwood have been identified with the Zika virus today, we are confident that our mosquito education, prevention and control efforts are working and hopeful that the impacted area will continue to be reduced as the DOH investigation continues. Earlier this summer, I authorized more than $26 million in state funds to fight Zika and as of today, more than $18 million has been allocated to local and state entities for mosquito prevention and control. We will continue to work closely with local officials to ensure their needs are met and we are prepared to allocate more if needed.

“I still have outstanding requests that I put into the Obama Administration that I am waiting on and I am disappointed that Congress has not come back to work to deal with this national issue. The president and Congress must work together to get to a solution for all the families across our nation.”

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[niman]

Map update 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ

 

[niman]

Zika virus infects two Wynwood restaurant employees

 3:08 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016 | Filed in: News

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MIAMI — Two employees of a business in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood have tested positive for the Zika virus, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

The people infected by the mosquito-born disease are employed by The Wynwood Yard, a food and entertainment venue with all-outdoor seating. The establishment closed Aug. 2 after health officials announced that Zika had been spread in the area by a mosquito.

The aedes aegypti mosquito carries both transmitting dengue and Zika. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

Prior to that announcement, virtually all Zika cases in the United States had been acquired by people traveling to other countries — especially in the Caribbean and South America — where the virus is widespread.

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Sixty-five Wynwood Yard employees voluntarily submitted to testing from the Department of Health. The spokesperson said that management was relying on employees reporting their test results and that it’s unknown whether other workers might have been infected.

Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday that 25 people in South Florida — including one Palm Beach County resident — have acquired Zika locally. Most of those cases have been traced back to a 10-block area in Wynwood, a popular arts district known for trendy bars, galleries and restaurants north of downtown Miami

Alan Diaz

A view of the outdoor business The Wynwood Yard that had been closed since last Aug. 2 because of to the cases of Zika in the Wynwood area of Miami. On Wednesday, it reopened. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Wynwood Yard re-opened for business Wednesday after being closed for more than a week.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned pregnant women not to travel to the Wynwood area. Zika has been shown to result in microcephaly, a birth defect that results in abnormally small heads and brains in newborns.

A view of the outdoor business The Wynwood Yard that has been closed since last Aug. 2, due to the cases of Zika in the area, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016, in the Wynwood area of Miami. Thank goodness it’s the slow season in Florida. At least that’s what officials and representatives of the state’s $82 billion tourism industry are thinking in the wake of news that 15 people were infected with Zika in one small, trendy neighborhood in Miami. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/zika-virus-infects-two-wynwood-restaurant-employee/nsDpr/

[niman]

THE WYNWOOD YARD RE-OPENING FAQ

 

The Wynwood Yard is open again as of Wednesday, August 10th. Thank you to our team members, guests and community for your patience and support during a challenging week.  We are eager to welcome Miami back home to The Yard.

 The Wynwood Yard CEO and founder Della Heiman recently spoke with WLRN-Miami Herald News about the team’s decision making process and the rationale for closing.  You can listen here.  

 

 

1.   WHAT’S NEW? (THURSDAY, 8/11/16)

Last night, The Wynwood Yard management received news of an additional positive Zika confirmation from the pool of voluntary employee tests that were arranged with the Department of Health last Thursday. This brings the total confirmed Zika cases among The Wynwood Yard employees to two. 

Please note that this second person is part of the same group of more than 65 employees that was tested at the Department of Health last Thursday---the results were just not received all at once. 

Because The Wynwood Yard has not been provided with an aggregate number of positive results among employees by the Florida Department of Health after last Thursday’s voluntary test, the management team is relying on voluntary reports by employees to the leadership team.  The data we are sharing is just the internal count based on information that has been disclosed to management by our team members.  

This does not necessarily mean that there is a “new case of Zika in Miami”, as our number is likely already reflected in the DOH and CDC’s count for Miami. 

To reiterate, this is not a new report of someone who is sick or a new suspicion of Zika illness. This is a result that has just come to the management’s attention, from the same pool that was tested last Thursday. We are simply reporting information as we receive it relative to that group testing last Thursday.

 

2.   IS EVERYONE OK?

Yes. Thankfully all employees of The Wynwood Yard are doing well now. We have no new suspected cases of illness. 

 

3.   IS THE WYNWOOD YARD “GROUND ZERO” FOR ZIKA IN MIAMI?

 

We have not received information from the CDC or DOH on this, but based on all of the information that we have obtained as an organization, the answer is no.  The first cases of Zika infection in Miami have been linked to mid-June, more than a month before any of our team members reported experiencing symptoms. 

 

4.   IS THE WYNWOOD YARD THE 500-SQUARE-FOOT-AREA THAT IS MENTIONED BY THE CDC?

We understand that some people are curious about this and so we wanted to address the question directly. We don’t know. We have not been informed by the CDC or the DOH that this is the case.  The Wall Street Journal recently reported on what is known about how Zika may have started in Wynwood. However, we want to reiterate that The Wynwood Yard is a safe place to visit and we encourage you to read more about why we decided to re-open and the safety measures we have implemented (below).

 

 5.      WHY DID THE WYNWOOD YARD MANAGEMENT DECIDE TO CLOSE?

Because of its unique nature as a 100% outdoor venue and in response to management and employee concerns and suspicions of Zika infection, The Wynwood Yard closed Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016, in order to make sure it is providing the most prepared, comfortable and secure environment possible to its team and guests.

Upon notification of possible Zika infection in the area, The Wynwood Yard immediately closed and has been in contact with the Department of Health in order to offer voluntary Zika testing for all team members.  The management of The Wynwood Yard has since learned that two team members were confirmed positive for Zika.

The Wynwood Yard team continues to work closely with the City of Miami and Department of Health in order to follow CDC recommendations on Zika and to assure the well-being of all who work and play at The Yard.

 

6.      IS IT SAFE FOR US TO VISIT THE WYNWOOD YARD?

Yes.  The Wynwood Yard decided to close on Tuesday, August 3rd in order to assure the well-being of guests, team members and the community based on concerns about potential Zika symptoms amongst our employees that came to light on Monday August 1st  just as the CDC issued its travel advisory about the neighborhood.

Since then, The Wynwood Yard arranged with the Department of Health to offer voluntary Zika testing for all its employees.  The Department of Health has declared that the decision of The Wynwood Yard to re-open is a business decision, just as the decision to close was left up to our team. The Department of Health has not issued any instructions to The Wynwood Yard to close at this time.

In addition, once the CDC restrictions to Wynwood were announced, The Wynwood Yard took further steps to ensure the safety and comfort of guests and team members:

·         We’ve stocked up on even more bug spray to have available for anyone on site who wishes to use them. As of Thursday, August 11th, we also have free mosquito repellent towelettes available. 

·         Mosquito Nix is installing a state-of-the-art mitigation system, using natural botanical insecticides, in order to supplement the mosquito control measures that were in place before we made the choice to close.

·         We are continuing training with our team to ensure that everyone is knowledgeable about CDC guidelines, as well as our new mosquito mitigation measures.

 The Wynwood Yard has taken every measure possible in order to ensure the greater well-being, health and comfort of our guests, community and team members.  Most importantly, we are deeply committed to being forthright with our team members, guests and community.  This is a 100% outdoor venue and we advise everyone to follow current CDC guidelines, including restrictions on women who are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant, as well as their partners.

 

7.      WHAT PREVENTATIVE MEASURES IS THE WYNWOOD YARD TAKING AGAINST MOSQUITOS AND ZIKA?

 Before The Wynwood Yard made the difficult choice to close on Tuesday August 2nd, team members were following CDC recommendations for drainage, wearing insect repellent and mosquito control on site.  Since we closed, we’ve also added the following mitigation techniques:

·         We’ve stocked up on even more bug spray to have available for anyone on site who wishes to use them. As of Thursday, August 11th, we also have free mosquito repellent towelettes available. 

·         Mosquito Nix is installing a state-of-the-art mitigation system, using natural botanical insecticides, in order to supplement the mosquito control measures that were in place before we made the choice to close.

·         We are continuing the training with our team to ensure that everyone is knowledgeable about CDC guidelines, as well as our new mosquito mitigation measures.

8.      IS THE NEW MOSQUITONIX MISTING SYSTEM SAFE?

Yes. The new state-of-the-art mosquito MosquitoNix misting symptom is being installed at The Wynwood Yard today, Thurday August 11th.  It has nozzles set up in unobtrusive places that release three or four mists a day of pyrethrum and other natural botanical insecticides, each a few seconds long. We are deeply grateful to MosquitoNix and David Lombardi of Lombardi Properties for generously assisting with sponsorship of the purchase and installation of this system.  More information here:http://www.mosquitonix.com/mosquitonix

 

9.      WHAT NOW?

We’ll continue to update this page with more information as receive it. We’d like to thank our guests and the community for their support and patience.

The Wynwood Yard is welcoming back the public with a full calendar of events including two key welcome back celebrations:

 

della test kitchen Customer Appreciation Day | Saturday, August 13 |4 P.M. - 6 P.M.  | Free

As a token of appreciation for the amazing community support it has received, della test kitchen invites you and your family to a fun and tasty afternoon in the sun. della test kitchen will celebrate its loyal customers with complimentary samples of the newest additions to the menu including the Dalé bowl, a bright and beautiful chilled mamey custard and spiced cacao frappé. In addition, all bowls will be 20% off that day.  Fun activities for all include a garden tour and garden salad demo with Chef Julie Frans, drum circle and African movement session, hula hooping and Kids Princess sing-along with Christina. Register for the free event here.

The Raddest Craft Fair by The Prism Group| Saturday, August 27th | 6 P.M. – 9 P.M. | Free

Come back for round two of the Raddest Craft Fair at The Wynwood Yard. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and dig into every type of craft under the sun from watercolor, to calligraphy, macramé and more. Full lineup of workshops to be announced soon! You’ll find inspiration in charming live sets by local songwriters, local culinary pop-ups along with scrumptious offerings by The Yard’s resident food concepts, not to mention the otherworldly craft cocktails from Mortar & Pistil. In addition, there will be some special treats to welcome Miami back home to The Yard! To see an ongoing list of workshops and to register, click here.

http://www.thewynwoodyard.com/faq-1/

[niman]

The Wynwood Yard Founder Talks Closing, Reopening And Positive Zika Tests

By SAMMY MACK • AUG 10, 2016

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Della Heiman talks with The Wynwood Yard team members at a meeting ahead of the venue's reopening.

CREDIT TRINA SARGALSKI / THE WYNWOOD YARD

It’s been a little over a week since it was confirmed that the Zika virus has spread locally in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.

In the heart of that neighborhood is The Wynwood Yard—an all-outdoor food and culture venue. Within hours of the Zika announcement, Della Heiman—founder of the Wynwood Yard and owner of Della Test Kitchen—temporarily closed the space. She decided not to charge rent to the six other businesses at the Yard for the week they’ve been closed.

She says part of her decision was based on the concern that, in hindsight, several people who work at the Yard had experienced symptoms similar to Zika infection.

Since her decision to close, the health department has offered testing to 85 of the people who work at the Yard—at least 65 of them volunteered to get screened. The results aren’t all in yet, but Heiman says one of the employees has already told her the test came back positive. UPDATE 8/11/16: Two employees now say they've tested positive, others are still waiting for results. The Wynwood Yard has released a FAQ about it.

The Wynwood Yard is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday. Heiman spoke with WLRN just before the results started to come in:

 

 

Listen

Listening...

 

3:54

Listen: Della Heiman talks about the rough business decisions to close and reopen The Wynwood Yard.

• What are some of the things that, with hindsight, you were looking at and saying, “oh, maybe some of these employees had had Zika”?

We had a couple of employees who were complaining about things like rashes, fever, headaches, joint pain. But at that time there had been no reported cases of Zika in the continental US.

We had a couple of employees who were admitted to local hospitals. So then we really started to get concerned.

• You actually called the department of health, what did they initially tell you?

My first conversation with them, they told me to follow mosquito control protocol. They told me to drain cover. They sent me a report that they had taken notes on our space a couple of days before. And they told us to make sure that we didn't have tarps or anything laying around that could collect water—which we had already taken care of once. They told me that they would have to do some further investigation before they could consider testing any members of my team.

• What were some of the things that were weighing on your mind while you were trying to decide whether or not to close, and how to approach it?

It's funny because I kept thinking about a lot of my ethics classes in business school.

In our ethics class, we would talk a lot about three lenses to think about any kind of business dilemma: one of them was the economic lens; one of them was the legal lens; and one of them was that ethical or moral lens.

For me, the ethical lens always takes precedent.

And that was really stressful for me because I felt like I would be letting a lot of people down by closing. But ultimately, it just didn't feel like the right thing to do to operate business as normal when I had suspected cases.

• What was the reaction that you got from the people who work there?

My team has been amazing. We’re part of a really tight-knit community. And people are just extremely dedicated, hardworking and they care a lot about one another. There was a unanimous response from my team of gratitude for looking out for their safety and their wellbeing. We did our best to put as many people as possible on paid leave.

• Have you gotten any pushback from people who would rather that you stay open?

I think that in the beginning there definitely was some pushback and some questioning about why I had made that decision—especially when I wasn't getting any official recommendations from the DOH or the CDC to close. But once, behind closed doors, people understood that we did have some suspected cases and that we were trying to approach it as responsibly as we could, it was really just a lot of support.

• How much is it costing you to stay closed?

In addition to the loss of revenue for this week, we've put a lot of people on paid leave. And then there's also just a lot of fixed costs associated with the venue.

• Has anybody offered you any kind of emergency financial help with all of this?

My landlord sponsored a new mosquito prevention system, which was very much appreciated. But nobody from any public authority has come to me and offered me financial incentives to close or financial support.

• Now you've got the health department offering tests to anybody who works there. How did that happen?

I tried to get in touch with the health department earlier in the day on Tuesday and the response just wasn't urgent. And I felt that the situation required urgency. We have multiple members of our team that are either pregnant or they have partners who are pregnant.

Basically throughout that afternoon I just started to escalate it up. I pushed pretty adamantly for testing our entire team. The testing was completely voluntary. But I thought that it would be important from an epidemiological perspective to understand what was happening with a population that had been standing in the middle of this suspected zone for the past two months, getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.

And if the answer turned out that nobody had it, then that would be great, too.

• What happens if there are people who work at the Yard who come back with positive confirmation that they have, or have had, Zika?

We're just going to be completely honest with our community about that. And we're going to take every single precaution to make sure that there's no transmission at the Yard.

We’re putting a lot of measures in place. Some of those measures are: training amongst our team members; we’re putting in a MosquitoNix system that basically emits a mist every couple of hours that is deadly to mosquitoes and other insects; we’re offering bug spray to all of our guests.

Ultimately we're going to reopen in any case. But I need to be able to communicate an honest message with the public. And I can't do that until I have information

http://wlrn.org/post/wynwood-yard-founder-talks-closing-reopening-and-positive-zika-tests.