The Bay County Board of County Commissioners, after consultation with Florida Department of Health, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Tourist Development Council, and others, on March 20 closed all Bay County public beaches in the unincorporated area as a safety precaution to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The city of Panama City Beach has also closed its beaches.
The beach closure will continue as long as deemed necessary to protect the public.
The order provides the following:
- All beaches, beach accesses, and parking for beach accesses in Bay County, Florida remain closed to the public.
- The M.B. Miller Pier is temporarily closed to everyone except for the use of the pier for fishing.
- It is unlawful for members of the public to access the beaches in Bay County.