Pinellas County extends local state of emergency
February 23, 2021 - The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to extend the local state of emergency through March 5. The local state of emergency keeps in effect a county ordinance requiring face coverings while in public places. It also requires restaurants and bars to serve only patrons who are seated. The unanimous board vote followed a presentation by public health officials, including Dr. Ulyee Choe, director of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County. Positive Covid-19 cases are up slightly, with an average of 6.3 percent of tests coming back positive in the past seven days, but hospital capacity remains stable, Choe said. About 132,000 people or 13.4 percent of Pinellas County residents have received one or two doses of the Covid vaccines. As of Tuesday, there was a cumulative total of 65,375 Covid-19 cases reported in Pinellas County and 1,430 deaths.