Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Reopening still a struggle
CDC to revise guidelines for fall as Trump threatens to cut federal aid
WASHINGTON — Determined to reopen America’s schools despite coronavirus worries, President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to hold back federal money if school districts don’t bring their students back in the fall. He complained that his own public health officials’ safety guidelines are impractical and too expensive.
Shortly afterward, Vice President Mike Pence announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be issuing new guidance next week “that will give all new tools to our schools.” The advice will keep students safe, he said, but “the president said today we just don’t want the guidance to be too tough.”
Despite Trump’s increased pressure on state and local officials, New York City announced that most of its students would return to classrooms only two or three days a week and would learn online in between. “Most schools will not be able to have all their kids in school at the same time,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
With millions of the nation’s parents anxious about their children’s safety in the fall — and their own work interruptions if they must stay home — Trump continued to inject politics into public health. He again accused Democrats of wanting to keep schools closed for election-year reasons rather than health concerns. And he issued a veiled threat to CDC officials over their reopening guidelines, saying, “I will be meeting with them!!!”
“If we don’t take all take responsibility to reduce the spread of this virus, what will happen is that the economy will continue to get worse because people are not going to be comfortable going out to dine,” Holness said.
If the restrictions do not combat the increasing numbers, Holness said, Broward officials could tighten enforcement, increase fines and close other businesses as necessary.
Holness said earlier that Broward would consider restrictions similar to those in Miami-Dade County, which this week eliminated indoor dining altogether. The Broward order is designed to find a balance, Holness said Wednesday.
“Some folks would want to see more. Some would want to see less. But take the step, and we watch to see the results. And if we don’t see a reduction in the spread, then we will take more action,” he said. The order will remain in place until COVID-19 cases begin to decline, Holness said.
Florida recorded nearly 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 48 more deaths on Wednesday, and the statewide positive test rate reached 20.8% on Tuesday, the highest in one day since the start of the pandemic. Cases have risen dramatically since South Florida allowed businesses to reopen with restrictions several weeks ago.
Holness said Monday that more than 50% of complaints the county receives on its 311 hotline are about restaurants not following rules.
Broward’s announcement came two days after the action by Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
In Miami-Dade, outdoor dining must stop at 10 p.m., but kitchens can stay open after that for takeout and delivery. Only four people can sit at one table, regardless of whether the group is a family.
In addition to indoor dining, Gimenez’s order closes ballrooms and banquet halls, movie theaters, concert houses and playhouses, auditoriums, bowling alleys, arcades, indoor and outdoor amusement facilities, unlicensed massage establishments, adult theaters, cabarets and casinos, except for casinos on tribal land.
Short-term rentals have new restrictions, too, including daytime and overnight occupancy capped at 10 people with a maximum of two people per bedroom plus two additional people per property, and new rental agreements are allowed only on a monthly basis, his order said.
In a Tweet Tuesday evening, Gimenez said he was forced to shut businesses’ doors due to the high positive rate of COVID-19 tests. Restaurants will stay closed until the rate of positive tests drops to about 5%, a recommendation set by the World Health Organization, he said. The rate now is at about 20%.
“At that rate it will overwhelm hospitals, which is why I’m forced to roll back business openings that cater to large gatherings,” Gimenez wrote. “It’s the only responsible thing to do to save lives and get back on track to open our economy safely.”
Palm Beach County has not announced similar closures, though Mayor Dave Kerner said he could not say what may happen in the coming days.