On Friday, Florida Democrats called on Republican Governor Ron DeSantis to issue specific orders to stay home and a state-wide mask mandate, insisting that “dramatic and science-based” action was needed to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
In a letter to Mr. DeSantis, 12 Democrats in Congress said “Florida is now the global epicenter of this pandemic,” citing the record 15,000 positive results Sunday, the increased burden of patients in intensive care units in the hospital and more than 90 deaths per day. for the past week
“There is no doubt that issuing an order to stay home is a difficult decision,” the letter said. “Shutting down the economy again would be painful, but that pain pales in comparison to the tragedy of losing thousands more Floridians, seeing our loved ones suffer debilitating illnesses and possibly life-long health problems, or worse, seeing the screen of a phone as they die alone in a tense hospital system. “
Democrats called for selective closings “in parts of the state where the outbreak is breaking out,” particularly in South Florida.
In a video press conference, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz said “the Governor needs to do his damn job,” while Rep. Ted Deutch said the Governor’s approach was “producing disastrous results for Floridians,” according to South Florida. Sun Sentinel.
On her Twitter account, Rep. Donna Shalala called earlier this week for a “14-day state reset,” adding: “We need another blockade, Governor DeSantis. It will be difficult, but this is a matter of life. Or death “.
Another 12,600 new cases in Florida today and more than 120,000 new cases since July 1.
We need another closure, Governor DeSantis.
It will be difficult, but this is a matter of life and death.
– Rep. Donna E. Shalala (@RepShalala) July 13, 2020
The Florida Department of Health reported 11,548 new cases of COVID-19 and 130 deaths on Friday, beating other current hotspots such as California and Texas, although Sun Belt states have still reported fewer deaths and cases per capita than New York and New Jersey, which peaked in the spring.
Among states, Florida has the eighth highest cases per capita, with 1,463 per 100,000 people, but the 25th highest death rate with 22 deaths per 100,000 people, well below New York City with 278.3, New Jersey with 175.8 and Connecticut with 122.8, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The state set a record for one-day deaths on Thursday at 156, but so far, DeSantis has resisted yet another shutdown, which has allowed the reopening of theme parks like Disney World and Universal Orlando, albeit with mask restrictions and social distance. , as well as intensified sanitation protocols.
“Would you rather have our fatality rate, our deaths per million, which are lower than many of these other states, that many of them are hailed as successes, simply because the virus has been burned?” she said in an appearance on Friday.
Mr. DeSantis has noted that Florida is evaluating at an “incredibly high level,” averaging around 90,000 tests per day over the past week, a big reason for the state’s positivity numbers.
“Obviously, when the epidemic started, particularly with many of the states that had the most severe outbreaks, they were doing a fraction of that, they were doing 10,000, 20,000 tests a day,” Mr. DeSantis said at the Wednesday news conference. . “We are capturing many more infections that exist and giving people the opportunity to be tested.”
It also marked the state’s last steps in addressing COVID-19, including increased antibody testing; debuting car lanes for symptomatic residents, and targeting nursing homes for the elderly, including opening more exclusive COVID facilities and routine testing of staff.
“We have been able to save probably thousands of lives when we look at our efforts in long-term care facilities,” said DeSantis. “We are doing everything possible because every life counts.”
Overcoming this pandemic requires unity of purpose. I appreciate the hard work of the Miami-Dade mayors and I am 100% sure we will get through this. pic.twitter.com/aZrWlgReIv
– Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) July 16, 2020
Democrats in Congress want state order to tell people to wear masks in public and implement specific closures in South Florida and other critical points of Covid-19.
Describe @GovRonDeSantis as more dedicated to @realDonaldTrump than protecting the health of Floridians. Https://t.co/58qTGgHGpy– Anthony Man (@browardpolitics) July 17, 2020
Earlier this week, Florida Democratic lawmakers unveiled their Step Back to Safety plan, which would reverse the reopening by closing bars and nightclubs, requiring companies and restaurants to operate with 25% staff, implementing a mask mandate state and schools wait at least another month before reopening to students.
“His non-intervention approach is not working,” Audrey Gibson, Florida’s Senate minority leader, said in a video news conference. “You are losing the war against the pandemic, and that means that the people of the state of Florida are losing the war against the state of Florida.”
Mr. DeSantis said the state was reopening with “an eye toward what is sustainable,” adding that the data shows that residents have changed their behavior, which is “what it is going to do for us,” News6 reported. Orlando.
The governor is under pressure from both sides. On July 10, Orlando bar owners sued him for the June 26 state ban on on-site alcohol consumption for bars but not restaurants, calling the order unconstitutional.
“My clients have complied with all security mandates and have exceeded guidelines established by the government and the CDC,” attorney John W. Dill said in a statement. “Governor DeSantis threw the baby out with the bath water and prevented law-abiding citizens from making a living.”
Shalala, who served as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Barack Obama, said Friday that she warned months ago that “if we don’t listen to experts and hit this virus with a hammer, our state would be forced to shut down again. “
“With the increase in positive testing rates and the decrease in the number of beds available in the ICU, the implementation of a stay-at-home order is now the best opportunity we have to prevent this crisis from spiraling out of control even further,” Shalala said.
Florida has recorded 327,241 cases and 4,805 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the state health department.
