DeSantis’ orders limit local leaders

As cases spike, virus restrictions to remain loose

Despite warnings that the darkest days of the pandemic could be ahead, Florida is plowing forward with a strategy that jettisons the advice of many public health experts in favor of keeping the state’s tourism-based economy fully open for business.

As hospitalizations rise, South Florida leaders — representing the hardest-hit region in the state — will have little flexibility to craft a local response that differs from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ approach.

“It is very concerning, but there is very little local government can do as it relates to business closures or limiting people’ s opportunities to work ,” Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss said.

DeSantis barred local governments in September from enforcing mask man dates with fines, closing restaurant dining rooms, or implementing any measure that “may prevent an individual from working or from operating a business.”

The Republican governor has staked his political career on a strategy that his critics say amounts to a

“herd-immunity” approach. That philosophy involves letting the pandemic burn itself out through mass infection.

During the presidential campaign, DeSantis sought to give the impression the pandemic was over, disregarding basic recommendations from public health experts.

While campaigning for President Donald Trump, he high-fived cheering supporters at a rally in Central Florida while not wearing a mask. Then on the Sunday before Election Day, DeSantis and MiamiDade County Mayor Carlos Giménez attended a latenight Trump rally with thousands of supporters in Opa-locka that violated a midnight curfew intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

De San tis has made it clear where he stands on a return to restrictions, promising in August that Florida would never “do any of these lockdowns again.” DeSantis held events that featured Dr. Scott Atlas, Trump’s coronavirus adviser who lacks public health credentials, rather than Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is viewed as one of theworld’s top infectious disease experts.

Meanwhile, the positivity rate and hospitalizations are on the rise in South Florida.

Hospitals could be strained in four to sixweeks if cases rise on a similar trajectory as they did during the last spike in the summer, said Mary Jo Trepka, an epidemiologist at Florida International University.

“This summer, our hospitals were really stressed,” she said. “They were truly at the maximum. We don’t want to go back to that situation.”

Implementing incremental restrictions now — such as curtailing operating hours for bars and nightclubs and ramping up enforcement of mask man dates— could help avoid a full-scale lockdown that would be required if hospitals become overburdened, Trepka said.

“This summer, our hospitalswere really stressed ... Theywere truly at the maximum. We don’twant to go back to that situation.”

Mary JoTrepka, an epidemiologist at Florida International University

At the start of the pandemic, South Florida locked down earlier than the rest of the state, and De Santis deferred to local leaders who wanted to go further than the state response.

That willingness to work with local leaders in South Florida has ended, said state Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park.

“He has all of a sudden gotten on this Donald Trump trip,” Jones said. “It is unnecessary, andit is hurting people. “

DeSantis has defended his response by saying prolonged restrictions will destroy businesses and produce other public health problems from more drug overdoses to higher rates of child abuse.

While local officials are stressing the need for flexibility, they aren’t calling for another lockdown. They’ve had to balance the needs of unemployed workers and business owners with concerns from health minded residents.

Broward County Mayor DaleHolness said he’ s monitoring the rising numbers, but he thinks the county should have the option of issuing another stay-athome order or taking other steps in an emergency.

“If we get to the point where hospitalizations are up and we don’t have capacity, I believewe have to take any actions necessary to save people’s lives,” Holness said. “I don’t want to see us have to ration care.”

President-electJ oeBiden has said he would support another lockdown if recommended by scientists, but he didn’t think it would be necessary.

“I am not going to shut down the country, but I am going to shut down the virus,” Biden said during a Broward County campaign stop.

DeSantis’ order also has led to confusion over whether local governments can implement curfews to slow the spread of the virus.

Miami-Dade County’s midnight curfew is facing a legal challenge from Tootsies, a Miami Gardens strip club. The curfew is intended to avoid late-night partying that can spread the disease.

The lawsuit argues that Miami-Dade’s curfew runs afoul of DeSantis’ order protecting the ability of people to work and businesses to operate.

A state appellate court upheld the curfew, reversing a trial court’s decision striking it down.

Dr. Tali Elfassy, a health expert at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said she has concerns that pursuing a herd-immunity strategy will lead tomore deaths.

Florida’s COVID-19 death toll recently passed 17,000.

“It’s a catastrophic idea,” she said.