Feds say there is community spread of coronavirus in Florida. DeSantis disagrees.

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article241080411.html

BY SAMANTHA J. GROSS, BEN CONARCK, AND ZACHARY T. SAMPSON HERALD/TIMES TALLAHASSEE BUREAU

MARCH 10, 2020 09:49 PM

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading infectious disease expert on the federal Coronavirus Task Force, plainly stated Tuesday that Florida is one of four states with “community spread” of the disease and therefore elevated risk.

“What we’re saying today is that although we keep coming in and saying appropriately that as a nation the risk is relatively low, there are parts of the country right now that are having community spread in which the risk there is clearly a bit more than that,” Fauci said. “And you know the places: Washington state, California, New York and Florida.”

But here in Florida, state officials in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office directly contradicted Fauci.

When asked about the doctor’s comments, governor’s spokeswoman Helen Aguirre Ferré provided this statement to the Herald/Times: “As Governor DeSantis stated [Monday], there is no community spread of COVID-19 in Florida at this time.”

</snip>

Good thing there isn't a bunch of elderly people in Florida - this could become a tragedy!

[woodsprite]

1. Worried about my in-laws down there.

They're in their 80s, dad has alzheimer's, but he still lives at home with mom. Both Trump voters and believe in everything he and his cronies say/do. Not sure how much they still go to church, but I know they interact with neighbors, go to concerts, just went on a bus trip to someplace down there.

[maryellen99]

3. I just came back from there.

It’s full of elderly people who I suspect 95% are Trumpies. It’s going to spread through that state like wildfire, especially in elderly trump supporter enclaves like The Villages and Marco Island.

[snowybirdie]

5. Ahem

NOT HERE

[maryellen99]

7. I know :)

I’m scared for the elderly down there. I’m terrified for my mom here in Michigan. She’s 78 and is diabetic/has congestive heart failure. If she gets this, she’s in big trouble.

[Phoenix61]

6. Yep! It sure will. I hate to think what will

happen when it gets into the nursing homes. So many of the care providers work at multiple facilities or do private duty. I wonder if/when they are going to close places like Disney/Epcot etc.

[SunSeeker]

2. My right wing in-laws live in Florida.

They voted for Trump. They voted for this shitstorm.

[mmbrevo]

4. That's one way to cut entitlements.

[el_bryanto]

8. Yes I guess that's true - but not exactly a desirable way I wouldn't think? nt

[mcar]

9. We are so screwn

[spanone]

10. Wait till it hits The Villages....

So DeSantis knows more than the doctors...Gee where have I heard that before?

[scarletlib]

11. DeSantis is a f*****g mini-Trump.

So far his only “plan” is maybe using some military installations for hospitals. It’s going to be up to counties and cities to manage on their own. I live in Palm Beach County and the people in charge here are competent and will do the best they can to manage.

I am already removing myself from public interaction as much as I can. I have food and cleaning staples and will now start using on-line grocery items as needed.

Only an idiot would deny community spread. I expect in the next 2 weeks it wii get really bad.

Florida’s big problem is that its economy lives and dies by the tourist dollar. The state government is going to delay action just because of this alone.

[malaise]

12. Bet he's sorry he stole that election about now

[BusyBeingBest]

13. There is community spread. It's time to stop believing

that the virus is limited to one person who gets off a plane from China or Italy and gets sick quietly at home, with no other contact, no cab or uber rides, no stops at the store, no pumping gas, no touching payment pads, no eating out, etc. That stopped being true in January. It's all over the place now, most people wouldn't even know they're circulating it unless they're sick enough to see a doctor. I've had cold symptoms, or allergy symptoms, this week (getting better) and I assume it's not coronavirus but how would I know for sure?

[Hearthrob]

14. Why has AARP forsaken Florida- and the rest of us?