ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — See our in-depth coverage below:
Read live updates below:
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to reopen May 28 with new measures
6:30 p.m.
Kennedy Space Center has announced it will reopen Thursday, May 28 with new hours and safety measures in place as part of its comprehensive Trusted Space program.
The new safety measures include:
- Opening with limited attendance and encouraging advance daily admission purchases
- Requiring face coverings for employees and guests
- Accommodating social distancing in queues, restaurants, and other facilities throughout the visitor complex
- Requiring temperature screenings of all employees and guests before entering
- Implementing increased frequency of sanitation and disinfection
- Changing operating hours to 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. to allow more time for cleaning and sanitizing
“While Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is implementing new measures and procedure, please remember that there is an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” the center stated on its website.
The complex reopens a day after the historic first manned launch to the International Space Station since the retirement of the shuttle program. Read more about the launch here.
Vice president departs from Orlando
5:20 p.m.
Vice President Mike Pence has departed from Orlando International Airport after traveling to Orlando to deliver personal protective equipment to a long-term care facility and meeting with tourism officials about reopening Florida’ economy.
Read: Vice President Pence visits Orlando to discuss phased reopening, deliver PPE
See Air Force Two take off below:
COVID-19 in Orange County
4:15 p.m.
Orange County officials are giving a live update on COVID-19 and the economy.
Click here to watch it live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.
Vice President Mike Pence just wrapped up a roundtable discussion with tourism officials.
Watch it in full below:
Vice president hosts tourism discussion
3 p.m. update
Vice President Mike Pence is hosting a roundtable discussion with Orlando’s tourism leaders at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.
Click here to watch the discussion live.
Read: 9 things to know about Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Orlando today
Watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 4 for live updates on this developing story.
Reopening Orlando’s theme parks
2 p.m. update
Walt Disney World, the Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld are expected to submit their planned reopening dates to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force on Thursday.
Universal officials are scheduled to present before the task force Thursday morning.
Presentations must include a planned reopening date.
Read: Disney Springs’ partial reopening: What to know before you go
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings must sign off on the plans before they can be submitted to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Vice President Mike Pence will participate in a roundtable discussion with Orlando’s hospital leaders at 2:40 p.m. Click here to watch it live once it begins.
Read: Unpaid for weeks, Disney workers push back on DeSantis
Watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 4 for live updates on this developing story.
Download the WFTV news app and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates on this developing story, or click here to have updates sent straight to your inbox.
Sorry this keeps changing so much - but @OCFLMayor Demings just said the expectation is that ALL THREE parks @WaltDisneyWorld @UniversalORL and @SeaWorld will submit their plans to the county tomorrow. Might just be Universal presenting to TF but all will submit. @WFTV https://t.co/kwO7BSrMJm
— Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) May 20, 2020
Just found out our major theme parks, @WaltDisneyWorld @UniversalORL @SeaWorld, will start making re-opening presentations to the @OrangeCoFL Economic Recovery Task Force tomorrow. @OCFLMayor Jerry Demings must sign off on the plans before they can be submitted to the Gov. @WFTV
— Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) May 20, 2020
Blog en español: ÚLTIMA HORA, 20 mayo: Asistencia para viviendas para residentes del cdo. Brevard
12:35 p.m. update
Florida surpasses 47,000 cases of coronavirus
Florida now has a total of 47,471 cases of COVID-19 throughout the state.
Health officials confirmed 44 new deaths since Tuesday, bringing the state’s virus-related number of deaths to 2,096.
Orange County leads all counties in Central Florida with the highest amount of cases.
See the latest case numbers by county below, and click here to see a statewide map of cases:
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
• Orange: 1,708 (1,699 Tuesday)
• Polk: 786 (766 Tuesday)
• Osceola: 636 (629 Tuesday)
• Volusia: 618 (612 Tuesday)
• Seminole: 444 (442 Tuesday)
• Brevard: 372 (371 Tuesday)
• Lake: 260 (257 Tuesday)
• Sumter: 253 (253 Tuesday)
• Marion: 228 (224 Tuesday)
• Flagler: 169 (167 Tuesday)
11:38 a.m. update
Seminole County officials to hold COVID-19 briefing
Seminole County officials will hold a 2:00 p.m. press conference to provide an update on the county’s response to the pandemic.
TODAY: Join us at 2:00p.m. for a press conference on COVID-19.
— Seminole County, FL (@seminolecounty) May 20, 2020
The press conference will be aired live on Facebook and SGTV (Spectrum 498, Prisim 84, UVerse 99, https://t.co/iW91VNuaLl). The press conference will be available for playback on YouTube, Facebook and SGTV. pic.twitter.com/y7a2xBpLxD
9:31 a.m. update
Orange County Mayor Demings to hold coronavirus update
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings will hold a 4:00 p.m. press conference to discuss the county’s response to COVID-19.
The county has the highest amount of cases in Central Florida with 1,699 cases as of Tuesday.
>>>You can watch the briefing LIVE here<<<
7:45 a.m. update
Virtual town hall to discuss impact of COVID-19 on criminal justice
Sen. Randolph Bracy will hold a virtual town hall to discuss the impact of the coronavirus on criminal justice.
The town hall can be viewed here at 5:30 p.m.
Read: Vice President Pence to visit Orlando to discuss phased reopening, deliver PPE
6:30 a.m. update
COVID-19 assistance application posted for Brevard County
Residents in Brevard County seeking housing assistance following the pandemic can now apply online.
You can find the application here.
4:37 a.m. update
Disney Springs to partially reopen
Disney Springs is set to partially reopen at 10:00 a.m. with 44 shops and restaurants ready to reopen for business.
Guests will only be able to park at the Lime and Orange parking garages. Once the garages are filled with visitors, entry will be denied.
Read: Disney Springs’ partial reopening: What to know before you go
Everyone over 3-years-old will be required to wear a face mask and have their temperature taken. Anyone with a fever of 100.4 or above will not be allowed in.
Guests will also see social distancing markers, extra handwashing stations and directional signage throughout the area.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
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