Miami Beach Cancels Summer Camps After Child Tests Positive

MIAMI BEACH, FL — Miami Beach officials announced Monday the city will cancel the rest of its summer camp program after a child tested positive for the virus. Officials said the decision was based on the overall surge in new cases and not because a child tested positive.

The city's Melissa Berthier told Patch a total of nine employees with the Parks & Recreation Department also tested positive for the illness but she did not know how many of them worked in the city camp program, which will close on Monday.

"Discussions began on Friday after a recommendation from our Parks & Recreation Department to close city-run summer camps due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases throughout South Florida," Berthier said. "Out of an abundance of caution for our campers and staff, we have been advising parents that camps will be closed starting next week."

In an unrelated development, the state-run coronavirus testing facility at the Miami Beach Convention Center will begin testing children as young as 5.

Berthier said the summer camp program had a maximum capacity of 342 children this year compared to 1,060 in previous years. This year's program had an average daily attendance of 150 campers.

"We felt that it was important to provide parents with notice so that they can make alternate childcare arrangements," Berthier said. "Our Parks & Recreation staff continues to strictly abide by our COVID-19 protocols."

In addition to a countywide mask requirement and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily curfew, Miami Beach city officials have also imposed the following restrictions to combat the spread of the coronavirus:

• All of Ocean Drive from 5 Street to 15 Street is closed to traffic.

• Parking is banned from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the area bounded by 5 Street on the south, 15 Street on the north, Ocean Drive on the east and Collins Avenue on the west.

• All businesses within the mixed use entertainment district must close between 8 a.m. and 6 a.m., not including the portion of the district between 73 and 75 streets and the section of the CD-2 commercial, medium intensity district between Pennsylvania Avenue and Collins Court from 5 Street to 16 Street. The closure does not include the section of Espanola Way between Washington Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue.

• All restaurants, cafeterias and other food businesses within this mixed use entertainment district and the CD2 are under orders to close at 8 p.m. Those businesses can provide delivery service between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. But takeout and curbside delivery service is not permitted during those hours. Only music that does not exceed a normal level of conversation is permitted. No live entertainment is permitted in those areas.
• In addition to the county curfew, the city has imposed an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in the mixed use entertainment district and the CD2 district. The curfew prohibits pedestrian and vehicular traffic with the exception of essential services.