TAMPA, Fla. — Several Tampa Bay area attractions have decided to stay open for now.
Spring break is already underway for several universities and schools and will continue for the next few weeks.
10News checked with several museums and parks to see what they have planned considering the concerns over coronavirus.
Here is what they sent us:
The Glazer Children’s Museum is committed to the safety and well-being of our guests and staff. We are closely monitoring the Florida Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and World Health Organization to stay informed of the evolving situation, as well as following guidance from the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Hillsborough County Public Schools. This statement may be updated as new information becomes available or situations change. Please click here for updates.
Resources available to our Guests:
As a public space and resource, the museum is dedicated to keeping our guests safe and informed.
Handwashing remains the best way to stop the spread of any germs. As always, hand sanitizer stations are conveniently located throughout the museum. Additional signage from health agencies has been added to our bathrooms and other public spaces to encourage the best handwashing practices and provide tips for disease spread prevention.
We ask that families wash hands regularly and if you or your little one are feeling ill, please choose to visit on another day when you are healthy.
Cleaning Protocol:
Our staff follows a strict cleaning protocol, including cleaning and disinfecting all exhibits and public spaces daily. As an additional precaution, we are increasing our cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched objects and surfaces. For all cleaning and disinfecting, we are following the WHO and CDC recommendations on which products are safe and effective against COVID-19. There are locations throughout the museum where caregivers can place toys that have ended up in a little one’s mouth, and staff regularly remove those for cleaning.
The health and safety of our guests is our top priority!
In light of the coronavirus (which is now known as COVID-19), Great Explorations is increasing our daily cleaning and disinfecting protocols in our museum, gift shop, classrooms, and offices. Trained team members regularly sanitize and disinfect common areas throughout the day, including the hand-held objects and surfaces in our exhibit spaces. Additionally, a professional cleaning crew does a deep cleaning each night.
Guests will find hand sanitizer stations throughout the museum, as well as increased signage illustrating the process and importance of washing our hands frequently. Please remember, if a toy has come in contact with your child’s mouth, please place the item in the available bins and our team will properly disinfect the toys before bringing them back to the gallery.
Today and every day, we respectfully remind our guests to practice preventative measures used during flu season, like washing your hands, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick.
We take pride in our museum and preschool being a safe, clean environment for all our guests.
From Joe Couceiro, CEO ZooTampa: The safety of our guests, employees, and animals is our top priority. At this time, ZooTampa (and Zoo School) will continue normal operations as we closely monitor the news from the Florida Department of Health relating to reported cases of coronavirus/COVID-19 in Florida and Hillsborough County. In the abundance of caution, we are augmenting preventative and sanitation measures throughout the Zoo, including:
- Educating employees on good hygiene practices and enhanced sanitation measures.
- Encouraging employees to stay home and seek medical attention if showing any signs of illness.
- Reimbursing incremental expenses for initial doctor visits for uninsured employees.
- Limiting employee non-essential business travel.
- Increasing hand sanitizing stations throughout the Zoo.
- Increasing park services staff and the cleaning frequency of bathrooms, restaurants, rides and common areas.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the risk to the public in Florida remains low. We will closely follow updates from the Centers for Disease Control and enhance our preventative measures if the situation evolves. The wellbeing of all those who visit and work at ZooTampa will continue to be of utmost importance.
We know it's important to offer as many options as possible in education, hands-on learning and yes... just general fun. We also know that with the news surrounding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) it is equally important to be prepared. To ensure guest and staff safety and health, MOSI has taken a proactive approach to the situation. Each exhibit at MOSI is cleaned with disinfectant at the end of the day, and then given another wipe down prior to our opening. We have also increased hand sanitizing stations around the venue and posted hand washing instructions in every restroom. Our venue reviews and trains staff on best practices put forward by the CDC in addressing any of these issues.
So come to MOSI this March with complete confidence that every step is being made to ensure a positive experience for all families. Enjoy the fun and learning and always #KeepDiscovering!
“The health and safety of our guests, ambassadors, and animals is our top priority. In matters pertaining to public health, our parks take direction from state agencies and the Centers for Disease Control. SeaWorld employs an experienced health and safety team and has robust protocols in place. We enforce rigorous sanitation standards across our parks, and we will continue to monitor the situation for changes, collaborate with health officials and take all steps necessary to ensure health and safety.”
Be sure to click on the name of the attraction to read the latest information from its website as things may change.
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