Robert E,
I live right at the Panhandle and have been on many dives there. Stay out of the shallows at all costs, but have a great time in the blue. The water has been really turpid (I think that's the word) and not great visability this year, but it's an OK dive for Florida.
Butch has spent hours in the shallows at Port St Joe (Cape San Blas) where the last attack was and has never seen any sharks there, so maybe that was a fluke.
I still think the biggest threat in the Panama City area are the jellyfish. I got an AWFUL ankle sting there a few years ago.
Have a great time. Stay safe!