Coronavirus FAQ: Do I have to pay my rent? Wear a mask? You asked, we have some answers
The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the world — and South Florida is far from immune.
By April 1, Florida has nearly 7,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 87 people have died.
Many more thousands are out of work as a result of the virus, too.
Not surprisingly, as most of you are practicing social distancing and sheltering-at-home, many questions are coming up.
We have answers for some of your frequently asked questions. We will also update this report to include more of your questions and answers over the coming days.
Should we be wearing face masks now?
The practice is an ongoing debate as we see more people wearing masks while out walking or in the supermarket, even as healthcare officials are facing a critical shortage of personal protection equipment.
The public face mask wearing question is under review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to The Washington Post.
“But there’s still no consensus on whether widespread use of facial coverings would make a significant difference, and some infectious disease experts worry that masks could lull people into a false sense of security and make them less disciplined about social distancing,” the Post reported.
Plus, you might be wearing it incorrectly and touching your face more to adjust it and take it off. And if it’s contaminated that’s clearly not a good idea.
But George Gao, director-general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told Science Magazine in late March:
“The big mistake in the U.S. and Europe, in my opinion, is that people aren’t wearing masks. This virus is transmitted by droplets and close contact. Droplets play a very important role — you’ve got to wear a mask, because when you speak, there are always droplets coming out of your mouth. Many people have asymptomatic or presymptomatic infections. If they are wearing face masks, it can prevent droplets that carry the virus from escaping and infecting others.”
Do I have to pay my rent, or mortgage, during the coronavirus pandemic?
Yes.
But in the light of financial hardships wrought by the virus’ impact on businesses, which led to massive layoffs and furloughs, you may have a bit of a reprieve if you can’t make the rent payment.
The rent could be deferred until after the crisis ends.
For instance, Miami-Dade police said earlier in March that its officers would not assist with evictions during the emergency declared by Mayor Carlos Gimenez for the coronavirus pandemic. The freeze on serving court papers and following through on evictions is until further notice.
The Florida Supreme Court also made a ruling on evictions and foreclosures that could give relief to Floridians who wonder how they can shelter in place if they lose their home. But the state’s 67 clerks of court have to figure out how to apply the ruling that would suspend, or give clerks the option to suspend, issuing writs of possession through April 17, according to The Tampa Bay Times.
Some mortgage companies are also responding to the crisis by making arrangements with their customers who are cash-strapped.
According to the federal CARES Act signed by President Donald Trump, if your mortgage is backed or controlled by the federal government, like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac — more than half of mortgages are — the mortgage buyers have suspended foreclosures and evictions for homes owned by their companies, reports the Associated Press. The mortgage companies expanded their forbearance program, which could suspend payments for up to a year. If you aren’t sure, contact the company you make your payments to and ask if you hold a Fannie or Freddie loan. Many companies are emailing their customers to alert them, too.
The loan will still have to be paid but arrangements can be done in several ways, which may include a lump sum, paying over time, or tacking the missed payments to the back end of the loan, reports the Sun Sentinel.
Contact your mortgage company.
But be careful, warns attorney Dennis Donet of the Law Office of Dennis A. Donet in Kendall.
“Evictions, and service of process of eviction lawsuits have been suspended during this period, however, at the conclusion of the period, when these restrictions are lifted, tenants still owe every penny of rent pursuant to their lease, unless they reach some other agreement with the landlord,” Donet told the Miami Herald in an email. “Neither the stimulus package, nor political decree can impair contracts between tenants and their landlords.”
In the long term, rents could go higher for South Florida’s low-wage earners, according to a new study by the San Francisco-based apartment search platform Apartment List.
Do I have to pay my utilities bills this month?
Yes.
But like rents and mortgages, many utilities including Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, Florida Power and Light and Florida City Gas are taking actions like maintaining customers’ accounts as active by extending due dates or waiving late fees.
FPL, for instance, sent an email to its customers on March 30 to say it has asked the Florida Public Service Commission to allow for a decrease of nearly 25% on May’s bill, citing lower fuel prices.
Why is the Total Wine on Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami open?
For the same reason Total Wine in Kendall is open. And everywhere else.
Liquor stores are considered “essential” businesses and allowed to remain open — as are grocery stores.
Why?
Click Orlando offered several reasons for why liquor stores get the essential designation. Among them:
Some people who regularly drink may suffer withdrawal symptoms such as agitation and rapid heart beat and require medical care; alcohol tax revenue is a major stimulant to U.S. coffers, bringing in nearly $10 billion in 2019, according to Statista; many liquor stores also sell food; and, Psychology Today suggests, no one’s going to risk a return to Prohibition — which went into effect 100 years ago in 1920 and ran until 1933. We’ve all seen what that led to in the movies. Al Capone, anyone?
Should I drink hot liquids, like soup, coffee and tea, since it reduces mucus? Social media posts making the rounds now say the virus sticks in this phlegm before it gets into your lungs and flushing it out with hot liquid sends the virus into your stomach where the body’s acids nuke it.
Drink hot liquids if you like them, but don’t think this will stop you from getting the virus. That’s a myth.
Like all social media posts that include text that reads “they say...” or, especially, instruct you to “Copy & paste by holding your finger down on the text till the COPY comes up ... click on it ... then go to your feed to create post” they should be immediately disregarded. And maybe you ought to question your “Facebook friends” ability to apply reason on social media.
Drinking plenty of fluids, eating nutritionally and resting is always advised when sick. But the hot remedy treatment social media is touting is not going to cure, or keep you from getting the coronavirus if you manage to get an infected person’s droplets into your respiratory system, says the World Health Organization.
Zinc is also an essential trace element required for maintaining intestinal cells, bone growth, and immune function, according to the World Health Organization. But zinc, and Vitamin C supplements, have not been proven to kill COVID-19 or act as a barrier. Washing your hands and not touching your face and social distancing are what you must do to avoid infection.
Can I, or should I, still valet park my car?
Droplets from an infected person left on a car’s surfaces — like the steering wheel, doors, gear shift — are ways in which one can come in contact with the coronavirus.
So some South Florida cities, condos and businesses are reining in the service, allowing drivers to decide whether or not they want someone else in their car.
Aventura recommended residential buildings and businesses should allow people to self-park instead of using a valet service, for instance.
Coral Gables converted all of its centralized valet locations into takeout and pickup zones.
Most hospitals also have suspended valet service — including Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Jackson Memorial and UHealth in Miami, and Memorial Healthcare in Broward.
Should you celebrate April Fool’s Day during the pandemic?
No. That’s being “tone deaf,” Alex Boese, author of “The Museum of Hoaxes: A History of Outrageous Pranks and Deceptions,” told USA Today.
Besides, isn’t COVID-19 enough of a prank — a deadly, worrisome and costly one, at that?
This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 1:51 PM.
