At a news conference today in Orlando, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis acknowledge an increase of coronavirus transmission in the state and asked residents to wear masks if “you can’t socially distance”:
In Orlando, @GovRonDeSantis acknowledges #COVID19 surge means 'there's been an escalation in transmission over the last 7 to 10 days.' Advises 'wash hands and 'when you can't socially distance, wearing the face mask.' Adds: 'obviously there's some need for improvement.'
— Mary Ellen Klas (@MaryEllenKlas) June 23, 2020
And he warned restaurants and bars that they could see their licenses suspended “if its dance party USA and it’s packed to the rafters”:
A stronger line from @GovRonDesnatis: warns at restaurants and bars that if 'it's dance party USA and it's packed to the rafters' there will be 'no tolerance for that, just suspend the license' and 'hopefully people will get the message.'
— Mary Ellen Klas (@MaryEllenKlas) June 23, 2020
As much as we made fun of the Florida lawyer dressed in the Grim Reaper costume, Gov. DeSantis said his DBPR Secretary would be the “grim reaper for business licenses”:
DBPR Secretary @HalseyBeshears says restaurants
'that are flagrant, we will be spending their license.' Adds @GovRonDeSantis: 'it's not worth it' calls him 'kind of the grim reaper for business licenses. There's not going to be any tolerance for that.'— Mary Ellen Klas (@MaryEllenKlas) June 23, 2020
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“We let our guard down,” he says:
.@orlandohealth's Dr. George Rauls says the #COVID19 spike in younger people is not because of business openings but 'it's where we let our guard down' such as "at pool parties" and bars.
— Mary Ellen Klas (@MaryEllenKlas) June 23, 2020
But, according to Sec. Beshears, there have only been 106 complaints since June 5:
''We've only received 106 complaints [of bars and restaurants] since June 5, and every one of those we've acted on," says DBPR @HalseyBeshears. "Soon as I knew about it, we acted on it."
— Mary Ellen Klas (@MaryEllenKlas) June 23, 2020
But as this journo points out, none of the complaints has yet “resulted in fine or enforcement action”:
DBPR has been far from a "grim reaper" so far during re-opening. @TDOnline reported yesterday Floridians filed 335 complaints about non-compliant businesses through late May. None resulted in fine or enforcement action: https://t.co/UZbDArACza https://t.co/aguPWvSpCO
— Jeff Weiner (@JeffWeinerOS) June 23, 2020
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