What You Should Know About Florida’s Reopening
Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced that the state is entering phase 3 of its Covid-19 recovery plan, which means that all restrictions will be lifted on businesses and that bars and restaurants can operate at full capacity while maintaining six feet of distance between tables. The order also suspends any fines or penalties for people who do not comply with the restrictions in place.
If local governments want to keep Covid-19 restrictions in place, they can, but they must provide the state with an economic impact analysis on the limitations and explanation of why the limits are necessary for public health. Some counties in the state are slowly reopening while keeping some restrictions in place, like enforcing physical distancing as much as possible.
According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Florida has surpassed 700,000 cumulative cases of Covid-19, and cases are increasing in many parts of the country.
Anthony Fauci, MD, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has called Florida’s decision “very concerning.”
“When you’re dealing with community spread, and you have the kind of congregate setting where people get together, particularly without masks, you’re really asking for trouble,” Fauci told ABC’s Good Morning America on Monday.
