WUSF has gathered some resources below to help you stay up-to-date with the latest COVID-19 information, and make the best decisions for you and your family.
At-Home Coronavirus Tests
The federal government is sending Americans free at-home tests. You can order up to four per residence at COVIDtests.gov or call 1-800-232-0233.
RELATED: Coronavirus vaccine and testing sites across Tampa Bay and Florida
Coronavirus Alerts
The Florida Department of Health has launched a public information system that can send automatic alerts to a person’s phone or email. These notices are separate from the county health department and will contain the latest statewide information on COVID-19 and other health emergencies. To sign up, visit www.floridahealth.gov/newsroom, click on ‘subscribe to the public list’ and enter your cell number or personal email. Reporters can also use the service to get the latest press releases based on their coverage area by visiting the same site and clicking on "subscribe to one or more of these media markets."
Florida Testing Sites
The state health department also has a searchable database of testing sites, broken down by county. For additional assistance, reach out to your local County Health Department.
Coronavirus Treatments
The state health department also has a list of available treatments, and where to get them.
CDC Covid Tracker
Find maps and charts tracking cases, deaths, and trends of COVID-19 in the United States. You can also search by state. The latest county-level data for each state (including cases, deaths and level of community transmission) can be downloaded from COVID Data Tracker’s County View page.
Florida’s Situation Report
The report includes information like the weekly number of new cases, deaths, and vaccines, and includes a county-by-county breakdown.
Cases By School
School districts across the greater Tampa Bay region have set up dashboards to track cases at individual schools. Here's a link to a county-by-county list of dashboards.
Nursing Home Cases
The AARP Public Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Ohio, created the AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard to provide four-week snapshots of the virus’ infiltration into nursing homes and impact on nursing home residents and staff. This dashboard has tracked five categories of impact since summer 2020, as well as vaccination rates of nursing home residents and health care staff, and is updated every month to track trends over time.
COVID-19 Dashboard By USF Epidemiologist
Jason L. Salemi, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of South Florida, created a dashboard that uses publicly available information. It emphasizes Florida data while making national comparisons.
It includes:
- Weekly COVID-19 Cases Among Florida Residents
- Weekly COVID-19 Testing Volume and New Test Positivity
- Weekly Vaccination Doses and Rates
- Age Distribution of New People Vaccinated Each Week
- Map Comparing County-Level Vaccination Rates
- Map Comparing County-Level Case Rates During the Past Week
- Map Comparing County-Level Positivity During the Past Week
- Trends in New Cases, Positivity, and People Vaccinated, by County
- Trends in New Cases, Positivity, and People Vaccinated, by Sociodemographic Characteristics
- Weekly COVID-19 Deaths and Cumulative Mortality Rate
Florida Hospitalizations
Hospital information is reported to HHS Protect by all hospitals registered with Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) as of June 1, 2020. Search for an address to learn more about nearby hospitals and the weekly capacity and admissions data they've been reporting. You can also view inpatient and ICU bed information.
Florida Vaccine Locator
The Florida Department of Health has a map that shows where COVID-19 vaccines are being administered across the state. Appointments may be required, and specific vaccine types and brands may not be available at all sites, so review the location’s instructions (for example, you may need to schedule an appointment online).
