Florida Mayors Plead For Mask Mandate, But DeSantis Says No New Restrictions Coming

Topline

A bipartisan group of Florida mayors are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to issue a statewide mask mandate to control a rising tide of coronavirus cases, but the governor has continued to show no interest in rolling back what has essentially amounted to a complete reopening, saying he “will not lock down and hurt families.”

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

“We are hopeful he will listen to us. He is a very smart man,” Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan said on a call Wednesday, where he was joined by Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez and Miami Shores Village Mayor Crystal Wagar in calling for a mask mandate.

Key Background

Covid is again on the rise in Florida, hitting the highest levels since the state’s historic summer outbreak. Florida led the way during the United States’ second major coronavirus surge, setting a national record for cases added in a single day with 15,300 on July 12. Even during the worst of the state’s summer outbreak, DeSantis repeatedly said in near-daily press briefings that the health risk in the state was being overblown. Still, DeSantis undertook some restrictive measures to combat the spread at the time, closing bars statewide. 

Tangent

DeSantis has also come under fire this month for hiring a state data analyst who  most of the Democrats in Florida’s Congressional delegation think is an “unqualified conspiracy theorist.” Kyle Lamb, a 40-year-old Uber-driving, Ohio-based sports blogger, announced Nov. 6 that he had accepted a job offer from DeSantis as a data analyst involving “Covid-19 research and other projects.” Lamb regularly posts baseless conspiracy theories about Covid on Twitter.

Further Reading

Gov. DeSantis’ office pledges no lockdown in Florida as COVID cases spike (WEAR-TV)

All States With Democratic Governors Now Have Mask Mandates, But Most With Republicans Don’t (Forbes)

Florida Will Soon Allow Restaurants To Operate At Full Capacity, Gov. DeSantis Says (Forbes)

Florida Shatters National Record With Over 15,000 New Coronavirus Cases (Forbes)

Florida Sets Coronavirus Death Record, Hours After Gov. DeSantis Said State Had ‘Stabilized’ (Forbes)

Florida Shatters Record For New Coronavirus Cases, Orders Bars To Close (Forbes)

‘Unqualified Conspiracy Theorist’: Florida Democrats Urge DeSantis Not To Hire Sports Blogger As State Data Analyst (Forbes)

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