Local COVID-19 Updates – 3/27

Jenny Fang, Writer - The Reporter|March 27, 2020

Bella Steiert

Central Florida’s largest employers anticipating short-term damage due to COVID-19

March 25, 5 p.m. 

WFTV 9, Christopher Heath and Katlyn Brieskorn

  • Central Florida’s largest employers are borrowing money with the anticipation that long-term damage is not being done due to COVID-19.
  • Just one week after announcing the temporary closure of its theme parks, Disney filed a notice with the Security and Exchange Commission of the sale of $6 billion in bonds.
    • Disney parks are expected to remain closed until April. 
    • Walt Disney World, Central Florida’s largest single-site employer, should rebound quickly.
    • While Disney was issuing bonds, Darden Restaurants, another major local employer, tapped into a $750 million line of credit.
    • The company told investors doing so would give it “flexibility given uncertain market conditions.”
    • Meanwhile, defense contractor Northrop Grumman is offering $2.25 billion in bonds as well.
  • Universal, another major employer, had been hoping to reopen its park in Japan. So far, that has not happened.

 

Central Florida hospitals restrict visitors during COVID-19 

March 25, 6:03 p.m. 

WKMG News 6, Amanda Castro 

  • Hospitals in Central Florida are strengthening their visitor policies as a way to stop the potential spread of COVID-19, but that is forcing some people to stay away from their loved ones who are recovering from injuries or operations, as well as impacting birth plans for expecting mothers.

The following hospital groups provided information on visitor policies during COVID-19:

 

 

March 27, 3:23 p.m.

WKMG News 6, Emilee Speck 

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