Kelly Hayes
A newly obtained report from the White House Coronavirus Task Force shows Florida leaders were urged to take immediate and strict action in response to the worsening coronavirus pandemic — action that was ignored, and even criticized, by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The report, which was obtained by the Center for Public Integrity after the Governor’s Office refused to release it to the media, defined Florida as a red zone for new cases and testing positivity rate. According to the report, 99% of all Florida counties have moderate or high levels of community transmission.
The document makes clear that strict mitigation strategies need to be implemented, stating, “mitigation efforts must increase, including the implementation of key state and local policies with an additional focus on uniform behavioral change.” The report suggests for changes such as requiring face masks, physical distancing, hand washing, as well as preventing gatherings outside of households and more aggressive testing.
The report also calls for leaders to significantly reduce the capacity limits or close indoor gathering spaces, like bars and restaurants.
These strict mitigation measures have been scrutinized by DeSantis, who has been vocal about the state not needing such mitigation strategies, pushing for reopening.
In late September, DeSantis made the decision to lift all state-level restrictions on businesses. At the state level, that mostly applies to restaurants and bars, both of which had been operating at 50% capacity.
At the same time, DeSantis’ office refused to publicize reports from the task force that recommended nearly the opposite public response.
The Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel sued the Governor’s Office earlier this week to get the office to release the reports. The suit alleged that the governor’s office had not released any of the weekly reports issued during the month of November.
This news comes after Senate Democrats Thursday blasted Gov. DeSantis’ efforts both to slow the virus’ spread and to provide transparent leadership that could increase trust in government, all midst a resurgence of the pandemic in Florida.
7 comments
Sonja Fitch
December 13, 2020 at 7:16 am
Desantis is willingly slaughtering Floridians! Desantis is even more vicious in implementing Nazi herd immunity than the goptrump death cult leader Trump! Resign Desantis ! Desantis you are a bigger LOSER than trump!
S B ANTHONY
December 13, 2020 at 7:55 am
Blood on his hands.
tjb
December 13, 2020 at 9:04 am
We have lost 20,000 Floridians to COVID-19. How many of these souls have lost their lives because of DeSantis’s poor leadership. Even on the simple preventive measure such as wearing of a mask … he will not endorse this measure that will save lives. Why is DeSantis against protecting the lives of Floridians?
Citizen Cane
December 13, 2020 at 12:43 pm
I am proud of DeSantis taking a stand to protect our rights. I can make the choices for my health and you can stay home inside your house if you don’t like it. You have that right as well. What you don’t have nor does the government is the right to tell me what I should do with my life and/or health. All of you fools need to just move out of Florida and move to Cuba or China if you want to give away your freedoms and be controlled like dogs.
No masks, No lockdowns.
God Bless the USA!
Eric Adler
December 13, 2020 at 3:13 pm
It is stupid to value your personal freedom over your health regarding such a trivial thing as wearing a mask. I bet if you get sick it will cost Medicare a huge amount of money to take care of you Some of it is my tax money. People who wear masks and heed public health warnings are being good citizens. Countries where people are good citizens have fewer cases and fewer deaths.
Joshua Payne
December 13, 2020 at 4:18 pm
Love it! Freedom over tyranny. Lockdowns and masks are proven they don’t work.
Ron Ogden
December 14, 2020 at 1:06 pm
Thank you Governor DeSantis for battling the the DC hounds and their fearful baying. Thank you Governor DeSantis for maintaining reason in the face of panic. Thank you Governor DeSantis for respecting my human right to self-determination. Thank you Governor DeSantis for having the strength to withstand the onslaughts of statisticians, engineers, reformers and bureaucrats–the renascent deep state, which now looms and looms and looms before us.
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