Florida reopens state's economy despite ongoing pandemic

[TomCADem]

Source: Boston.com

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted all restrictions on restaurants and other businesses in Florida on Friday, and banned local fines against people who refuse to wear masks as he seeks to reopen the state's economy despite the spread of the coronavirus.

The Republican governor's order unleashed fresh debate in the politically divided state, where pandemic responses have become intertwined with the upcoming presidential election.

DeSantis, a major ally of President Donald Trump, acknowledged that the pandemic is far from over, but he said the threat has eased and the time has come to reopen for business after six months of "people twisting in the wind."

The governor's announcement Friday allows restaurants across the state to immediately reopen at full capacity -- and prevents cities and counties from ordering them to close or operate at less than half-capacity, unless they can justify a closure for economic or health reasons.

Read more: https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2020/09/25/florida-governor-reopening-states-economy-despite-continued-covid-19-spread

---

So, DeSantis is once again following the Trump plan for dealing with coronavirus. It is in the bottom 10 states for tests taken per capita despite the fact that it had large summer surge and it is still on the high side for positivity rate:

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/testing/tracker/overview

So, I guess if you test less, then you have less cases as the Nation heads into flu season. I guess this represents a gamble that any resulting spike will take place after the election.

To put this in perspective, Florida has been averaging more daily deaths than California, which has almost twice as many people.

[Lithos]

1. The State Drink of Florida is Koolaid

Followed by a bleach injection chaser....

[torius]

2. Herd immunity

Meaning Trump’s herd of lackeys like Barr and DeathSantis will want legal immunity.

[BigmanPigman]

3. When you listen to tRump's speech he pronounces

it "turd mentality". Seems pretty accurate to me.

[Sancho]

4. DeSatan is trying to kill us...

[machI]

5. There will be a new wave of COVID building as the election approaches.

This will hurt Trump more than it helps him.

[Solly Mack]

6. It's as if the orange pus-pocket has sprouted other, smaller pus-pockets .

Like a disease spreading.

[GeorgeGist]

7. HowTF did this buffoon get admitted to Yale and Harvard?

[Sancho]

10. It must be like the baby Bush...he was a baseball player and team captain...

...was in the little league World Series at one point.

When you talk to him, he's not really that bright. I don't know, but guessing that some athletics get a pass on admission requirements.

[Native]

25. He's an idiot, and he's actually said his closest advisor when it comes to the virus is HIS WIFE!

And don't forget, we're hosting the Super Bowl in February. He's determined to have the stands packed.

[Sherman A1]

8. Well, this will be interesting

[raccoon]

9. And Florida has a lot of OLD people. Floridians ought to

Throw his butt out of the governor’s mansion.

[dem4decades]

38. They're old Republicans, they support Trump and DeSantis, see the "white Power" Villagers.

[wishstar]

11. Wintering in Florida could come at a high price this year

Of course DeSantis hopes with lack of testing and influx of elderly winter residents that additional deaths will not show up as Covid but attributed to some other cause and those out of state visitors will not count in Florida's numbers but get counted in their home states.

[Chainfire]

12. You all must not have gotten the news

DeSantis suspended the virus for the elections.

[mucifer]

13. They have 100 deaths a day with an 11% positivity rate. That's insane! Murderer!

[Native]

26. I read that it's actually 12%, and WHO doesn't recommend reopening until it's below 5%.

With bars and restaurants and gyms all operating at 100% capacity and with no safety precautions other than crap like "wipe down every laminated menu between customers," it's going to be a shit show in 6 weeks or sooner. From the very beginning, he has relied solely on hospital capacity to guide his decision making. If we've got room, then let's get this party started! Mother Fucker.

Last night we went to get take-out (curbside pickup) at a local chain restaurant. It was INSANE. Cars were circling for parking spaces like they were giving away free food. And the line of people waiting for tables was nuts - with barely a mask in sight.

[jaxexpat]

14. Personally, I'm more concerned that the low-life types will......

consider this as an open season to harass mask wearers.

Expect to see more of the grab-and-cough cases re-interpreted as "harmless horseplay". Not that the LEO's ever helped much anyway.

[Native]

27. Nah, I don't think we'll have to worry about that. I live in an almost exclusive red community,

and I've found they're more into strutting their right to flagrantly violate any common sense orders than anything else. Honestly, with masks no longer required anywhere, they'll be able to proudly walk about maskless and all decked out in their MAGA gear. They'll be as happy as pigs in shit.

[CanonRay]

15. Gee, only 2800+ new cases and 120 deaths yesterday

Sure, why not, just open up.

[Native]

28. Well, hell, it has been a while since we broke the U.S. record for most coronavirus cases in a day!

Got to set a new record!

[bluestarone]

16. Just gotta say here that if PEOPLE are fucking dumb enough to listen to this piece of shit, then

Let the ones that follow him fucking DIE!

[NickB79]

17. 6 weeks to election time. Cases will be surging by then

DeSantis may have just flipped Florida blue.

[truthisfreedom]

18. Woohoo! Herd mentality rules! Woohooooo!

[pwb]

19. Florida has to open for the election because it has no plan

in place for mail in voting just like it had no plan for unemployment claims. They have no state income tax and rely heavily on sales tax money to operate. They did it to themselves.

[mentalsolstice]

35. Beg to differ about mail in voting

We’ve found it to be very easy. We’re signed up for it through 2022, no excuse necessary. We get our ballots, fill them out, and put them in the drop in box at our HQ, which is 10 minutes away. We’re able to track our ballots which are counted as soon as early voting begins.

[BlueWavePsych]

20. In two weeks there will be a surge of new infections.

[Talitha]

21. Are the 'snowbirds' from the north already drifting down for the winter?

[BlueWavePsych]

22. Nope. Not this year. That's $6.5 Billion lost from Florida's economy.

Last edited Sat Sep 26, 2020, 02:53 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/104510716

[ProfessorGAC]

32. I Know 2 That Just Left For FL

I know it's only 2, but I only know a few that go every winter, and one left Thursday afternoon & 1 is leaving Tuesday morning.

Canadians aren't going, but if my limited sample is at all representative, plenty of US snowbirds are still heading there.

$6.5 billion is about 0.7% of state GDP, so it's meaningful. But, not economic tragedy kind of stuff.

[BlueWavePsych]

33. Have a lot of freinds and family from Tri-State. All are aborting this year.

Too many of them are getting near or at the 'risky age' category and think the second wave will be worse.

[ProfessorGAC]

34. That's Smart

Apparently smarter than those I know.
The other 3 or 4 I know haven't said one way or another, but one has talked about planning to go in November. Whether they go or not is up for a guess.
And, these are all at risk folks.
These are all guys from the golf course, and at 64, I'm the young one. I think the next youngest is 3 years older than me.
Florida's positivity right now is over 11%.
I think they're nuts, but at least 2 of them are definitely going.
Go figure.

[Native]

29. My community, 800 homes, is about 50/50. Since DeathSentence's proclamation on Friday,

every snowbird I've spoken to has said they're staying the hell away.

[SWBTATTReg]

23. So all of the seniors that are avoiding FL lately because of the uncontrolled spread of the CV in FL

are going to now come to FL because of a particular hot dog stand or business that they favor is now open? Yeah, right.

If I were a senior (and I am), FL and all points south where the CV has taken root (seemingly in in the entire southern USA), I would avoid all of these areas (and I am, I haven't traveled anywhere nor will I either, I'd prefer to stay in my safe space for now). My friends in FL too, are staying put/under cover. They know how irresponsible that this governor is being, and I strongly suspect that he's on his way out of office, big time.

Perhaps until (1) trump is gone; (2) Biden is in office; (3) control of the Senate is firmly now in democratic hands; (4) control of the House is still being maintained and even expanded; (5) criminal investigations are opened up immediately by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies on the criminal activities of all trump appointees (and trump and cronies/family too), a necessary step in healing the Country, and one that sends a strong message that criminals need not apply nor have a free hand in (estimates I've seen is up to $1.6 billion dollars has been stolen by trump and cronies, money intended solely for the programs the monies was enacted for originally).

Until a nationwide, comprehensive CV plan is enacted, I won't travel anywhere either.

desantis is even dumber and more criminal that I thought he originally was...I feel sorry for the people of FL, are they that hard up for business in FL?

[maddogesq]

24. The continuing adventures of Gov. DeBrainless.

Listening to this idiot speak makes my head hurt more than Doofus Don on his worst day.

[Native]

30. He spoke at Trump's rally in Jacksonville. A twofer brain explosion!

[bedazzled]

31. They have done away with fines for not wearing a mask also

To further enable the innumerable covidiots

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

36. The GOP is a Jonestown cult

[Cryptoad]

37. Gov seems to be a slow learner....

[TomCADem]

40. This does seem like deja vu with DeSantis not only...

...reopening, but immediately restricting social distancing regulations like masks, which makes no sense given that cases are back on the rise in several states.

[Eugene]

39. State education commissioner tells Miami schools to open by Oct. 5 or prove exceptions

Source: Miami Herald

State education commissioner tells Miami schools to open by Oct. 5 or prove exceptions

BY COLLEEN WRIGHT
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 07:30 PM , UPDATED SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 09:16 PM

Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran wrote a letter to Miami-Dade County Public Schools calling for schools to be fully open by Oct. 5 or ask for exemptions on a school-by-school basis.

The School Board on Friday morning received Corcoran’s three-page letter, which was addressed to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman. He begins the letter by expressing “grave concerns” about the board’s Monday vote for a delayed start to a soft and conditional opening of schools Oct. 14 with all schools opening for those who wish to return to the schoolhouse on Oct. 21.

The School Board will meet Tuesday at 1 p.m. for a special meeting held in person at the school district’s downtown headquarters to discuss next steps. A memo sent by Carvalho to the board said an agenda will be available by 1 p.m. Sunday.

Corcoran said Tuesday’s vote “directly contradicts” the reopening plan the school district submitted to the state. He charged it also clashes with Miami-Dade County’s transition to Phase 2 on Sept. 14. That transition cleared the way for schools to reopen for in-person learning and triggered the reopening of movie theaters, arcades and other entertainment venues.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday announced the state’s transition to Phase 3 and overruled all local rules and fines enacted by locally elected governments for protections put in place for the coronavirus pandemic. Local governments can have local rules with justification.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article246033075.html