‘We’re not rolling back’
Governor says state will not shut down despite case jump
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday the state would not shut down again or scale back the reopening of businesses despite record numbers of new daily cases of coronavirus being reported in Florida.
“We’re not shutting down. We’re going to go forward … We’re not rolling back,” DeSantis said. “You have to have society function.”
Tuesday’s 2,703 reported cases put Florida’s total above the 80,000 mark. It was the third time in four days that more than 2,000 cases were reported in a single day, and the 13th time in the past 14 days that the state recorded more than 1,000 new cases.
While there is more testing being done than before, the rate of positive cases compared to the number of daily tests also grew to 9.2%, the highest in at least a month.
But DeSantis blamed that increase on younger people getting tested before going back to work and on isolated outbreaks. He cited a 63% positive rate in the Lake County Jail, a 52% rate in unnamed airport in Central Florida, and a 36% rate at a Central Florida industrial factory. He also pointed to outbreaks in agricultural communities such as in western Palm Beach County.
“We’re going to continue to protect the most vulnerable, we’re going to urge continue to advise, particularly our elderly population, to maintain social distancing,” he said. “[And] if you can’t social distance, or if you’re
in a face to face, then the masks are recommended.”
But when asked if he would recommend attendees of the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville in August wear masks when they’re in close quarters with each other, DeSantis didn’t answer.
The median age of COVID-19 cases in Florida also dropped from over 65 in March to 37 last week, DeSantis said.
“So half of those [new] cases are people under the age of 37,” he said. “And I think that’s one of the trends that you’re seeing is that [with ages] 25 to 35, there are way more positive tests out of that group than you would have had two months ago.”
Young asymptomatic people would have needed to have symptoms to get tested until recently, he said.
“Well, now they’re in situations where their employer can say, ‘Hey, go get tested before you come to work,’” he said. “And then they can go [get tested] regardless of symptoms. And so I think you’re starting to see more of the 25 to 35 cohort identified, [but] very few of them have symptoms.”
Hospital capacity
DeSantis also said hospital ICUs were in no danger of reaching capacity, despite more than 80% of general and ICU beds being in use at Orange and Seminole county hospitals.
“If the person’s 25 and has no symptoms, or if the person works on a farm somewhere and has no symptoms, they’re not the people who are likely to end up in the ICU or on a ventilator,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis’s comments came a day after Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings warned a second round of more drastic restrictions was possible if the numbers keep rising.
“We’re not there yet,” Demings said. “This is why we’re coming to our residents today and saying, we need all of their help to avoid that becoming a greater probability.”
Three bars in Altamonte Springs and Jacksonville Beach and a Starbucks in Apopka announced closures in the past week due to customers or employees testing positive.
Justin Sullivan, a managing partner of V Group Orlando, said his company has delayed the opening of its clubs after an unspecified number of employees tested positive in late May.
While DeSantis allowed bars to reopen at 50% capacity on June 4, Sidebar Orlando on Orange Avenue is only opening up Wednesday, and Room 22 up the street is only opening for one day Saturday, for bar service only, to have staff get a feel of how half-capacity looks.
“We’ve been pretty proactive,” Sullivan said. “We definitely did not rush to reopen. … The bar industry is taking heat right now, and some of it is definitely warranted. Venues have been over capacity since day one, everyone knows that. But the consumer base needs to be [responsible] too.”
Fried goes on attack
Earlier in the day, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only statewide-elected Democrat, blasted the governor’s handling of the pandemic.
“Today’s record-high new cases makes it clear: Governor DeSantis has lost control of Florida’s COVID-19 response,” she said in a statement. “His policies are simply not working, and he’s recklessly reopening Florida despite the data screaming for caution.
“To our citizens, I implore you to wear masks and continue social distancing – and just because a place is open, doesn’t mean it’s safe to go there,” Fried added. “To our local governments, please encourage your residents to stay home, mask up, and socially distance. If the governor is unwilling to make the right decisions, then they must be made in our cities, our states, and our homes.”
DeSantis also said he would be ruthless in vetoing budget items he believed would harm the state’s fiscal budget post-outbreak, including some items he personally backed.
He added that some agencies would be required to hold off on planned spending before the end of the fiscal year, and that he wouldn’t be issuing up to $20 million in planned transportation and job training grants to keep more money in reserve to blunt the effects of the drop in revenues due to the pandemic.
“It’ll be a lot of red,” he said, comparing his veto pen to an infamous TV bloodletting. “It’s kind of the fiscal equivalent of the Red Wedding on Game of Thrones.”