/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5f6d0fe050daa46ea9849743/0x0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,781&ssl=1 "Covid Spikes In The Biggest States—But Republican Governors Say No Shutdowns This Time")
Topline
The nationwide coronavirus spike that is plaguing the U.S. is now starting to again take a toll on the nation’s largest states, which grimly led the way during the summer outbreak, but, unlike earlier Covid surges, some governors are vowing there won’t be any new restrictions this time to combat the spread.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference where he provided an update to Texas’ … [+]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Key Facts
All three of the nation’s largest states—California, Texas and Florida—are dealing with spiking Covid metrics, including increases in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Two Republican governors, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have said they will not put new restrictions in place, instead touting new treatments for those who are infected.
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has come under fire for attending an extravagant dinner in apparent violation of state health guidelines, announced this week most of the state’s population would be placed in California’s most restrictive Covid tier.
On Thursday, he issued an overnight curfew for nearly all of the state’s residents.
Newsom’s office said in a news release the rate of new cases is “faster than it was in July.”
Crucial Quote
“The Governor will not lockdown and hurt families who can’t afford to shelter in place for 6 weeks. Especially not for a virus that has a 99.8% survival rate,” DeSantis’ office said in a statement earlier this week.
Chief Critics
Some local government officials in Texas and Florida are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of a response on the state level along with the lack of authority they’ve been given to put their own restrictions in place. In Florida, a bipartisan group of mayors met virtually on Wednesday, where they pleaded for DeSantis to issue a statewide mask mandate. Local mask mandates can be put in place, but DeSantis essentially stripped their ability to be enforced by prohibiting fines for violations. Florida is the largest state with practically no coronavirus restrictions anymore, after DeSantis in September said that restaurants and bars could reopen at 100% capacity.
What To Watch For
Partisan politics seem to be playing a role nationally in Republican governors’ general unwillingness to impose new restrictions. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany publicly praised Abbott and DeSantis for moving forward with “NO MORE LOCKDOWNS.”
Key Background
California, Texas and Florida contributed massively to the nation’s second major coronavirus surge, which was during the summer months. On July 12, Florida added 15,300 cases in a single day—a number that no other state has matched, even during the current, record third surge. This latest surge is much more geographically distributed, though, and hasn’t taken an outsized toll yet in large southern and western states. The spring surge was primarily limited to the Northeast while the summer surge hit sun belt states especially hard.
Surprising Fact
The rhetoric DeSantis and Abbott are using is similar to what they said during the early part of the summer, before eventually putting new restrictions in place, anyway. DeSantis said on June 16 that “we’re not shutting down,” just days before he ordered bars to close down again in the state. Abbott also shut down bars in Texas, and significantly reduced restaurant capacity.
Further Reading
California Issues Covid-19 Curfew For Most Counties (Forbes)
Gov. DeSantis’ office pledges no lockdown in Florida as COVID cases spike (WEAR-TV)
Florida Mayors Plead For Mask Mandate, But DeSantis Says No New Restrictions Coming (Forbes)
Florida Will Soon Allow Restaurants To Operate At Full Capacity, Gov. DeSantis Says (Forbes)
The 3 Biggest States Have All Broken Coronavirus Death Records (Forbes)
Florida Shatters National Record With Over 15,000 New Coronavirus Cases (Forbes)
Florida Governor: ‘We’re Not Shutting Down’ After Record Coronavirus Infection Spike (Forbes)
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