MIAMI (AP) – Some coronavirus restrictions began to decrease Monday in parts of South Florida.
In Miami-Dade County, restaurants have been allowed to relocate diners indoors for the first time in about two months, as long as masks are worn and institutions operate at 50% capacity.
In Palm Beach County, the government issued an order authorizing the reopening of tattoo parlors and frame piercings, as well as tanning salons, on Monday.
In Miami-Dade County, the maximum number of indoor restaurants in the county has been banned from early July to prevent coronavirus.
“This means this is over,” Mayor Carlos Giménez said at an online press conference.”While we’re moving in the right direction, we’re out of danger.”
The easing of restrictions in South Florida comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he plans to allow South Florida to move to Phase 2, allowing more companies to resume operations.
DeSantis reiterated the concept Monday at a news convention on the retirement network The Villages, saying that he was contemplating the reopening of bars and nightclubs and that he was looking for the 3 counties in South Florida (Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade) to sign up for the rest of the state in the reopening of businesses.
“Everything is open unless the nightclubs and pubs, and that’s all we’re going to address,” DeSantis said.”We’re going to paint in our 3 counties in South Florida, to get them where we are.And this is the last piece of the puzzle.”
DeSantis promised never to have another lockout in Florida.”I hear other people say they’re going to close the country and, honestly, I’m grinding my teeth,” he said.
Prior to his visit to The Villages, DeSantis held a roundtable in Tallahassee with President Donald Trump’s new pandemic adviser, Dr. Scott Atlas, who noted that infections and deaths are declining in the most affected states.
“The American public feels cautiously positive here about what’s going on,” Atlas said.”Don’t be afraid right now.”
Atlas downplayed the threat of infection among young people, saying activities like school football to be reopened because communities depended on them economically.
“This does not deserve to be a matter of controversy. College football deserves to be opened.This can be done safely,” Atlas said. College play is a great component of the United States and is a great component of the economic engine.”
Atlas also questioned the desire to check others for a coronavirus that shows no symptoms.
“When you start a testing program just to find positive cases among low-risk asymptomatic groups, the end result is to close schools,” Atlas said.”And the purpose of testing is not to close things.The purpose of the tests is for the vulnerable as we open schools and open the economy.”
Meanwhile, Florida’s largest school district resumed the ranks Monday, though they are online than in person. Miami-Dade County public school categories will remain online for at least a few weeks until the number of coronavirus cases in the county decreases enough to resume in person teaching.
But online learning got off to a rough start.The school district posted on Twitter that their online page was having connectivity issues.”The challenge has been known and the staff is working diligently,” the district said Monday morning.
Florida reported about 1,900 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, bringing the general state to 623,471 cases.Florida reported 68 new deaths on Monday, bringing the state’s total to 11,331 deaths.
A fourth Florida lawmaker said he had COVID-19.Clearwater state’s representative Chris Latvala said on Facebook that he was being treated at Largo Medical Center but hoped his stay would be short-lived.The Republican lawmaker said he had moved away since last Wednesday.
“My symptoms vary, ” he said. This pandemic isn’t over, but we’ll triumph over it.Keep wearing masks, stay away from social issues and wash your hands frequently”.
Also on Monday, DeSantis finalized for the fifth time a decree that froze evictions and loan foreclosures.