Demings: CPAC hotels say they will be safe
As the nation’s COVID-19 death toll topped 500,000, Orange County ramped up vaccinations Monday and promised to expand as soon as the vaccine supply increases.
State health officials said they inoculated 3,000 people at the Orange County Convention Center’s drive-thru site Monday, up from 2,500 per day from last week.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, a Democrat, also said the compliance teams he created last year to persuade businesses to follow masking mandates and other safety guidelines to stop the virus from spreading will likely visit hotels and other sites hosting people attending the fourday Conservative Political Action Conference this week.
Former President Donald Trump is expected to speak Sunday at the event at the Hyatt Regency Orlando — his first public appearance since leaving office.
“I have had recent conversations with hoteliers who will be hosting the various patrons who will attend the CPAC conference here in Orlando,” Demings said during a local briefing on the pandemic. “They have assured me that they intend to make it a safe environment for their guests, and that they will follow the guidelines that are in place.”
He said the teams will follow up on complaints “just like we do with any other types of businesses...”
Demings said the inspection teams have previously visited the hotels “and there is nothing that says they will not go back and do inspections.”
He also announced the county would extend free COVID testing
in Orange for 112,161; 125 more in Polk for 55,986; 71 in Osceola for 36,168; 109 in Volusia for 33,861; 99 in Brevard for 33,106; 58 in Seminole for 26,674; 52 in Lake for 24,030; and 6 in Sumter for 7,774.
There were 27 new deaths across all eight Central Florida counties bringing the region’s toll to 5,170. Polk County has the most coronavirus fatalities in the region with 1,108, followed by 1,072 in Orange, 728 in Brevard, 635 in Volusia, 544 in Lake, 432 in Osceola, 418 in Seminole and 233 in Sumter.
Central Florida accounts for more than 17.6% of the cases statewide and more than 17.2% of the deaths.
Statewide, 2,698,591 people have received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, of which 1,398,394 people have received the second dose. The count is a snapshot through Sunday, based on the report released Monday.
Of those who have received at least the first dose, 2,038,204 are over the age of 65.
Broward County Mayor Steve Geller says the state will have vaccinated every eligible senior within the month and is hoping Gov. Ron DeSantis lets them expand the criteria.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday on Twitter that he won’t change his strategy just yet.
“Our strategy remains that seniors come first. We will continue to work to ensure that every senior in Florida that wants a vaccine, will receive a vaccine,” he said.