Download Client Alert: Governor DeSantis Outlines Phase I of Re-Open Florida Plan
Earlier this evening, Governor DeSantis outlined Phase I of his Re-Open Florida’s Safe, Smart, Step-by-Step plan.
Starting Monday, May 4, 2020, the following will be put in place. Parts of the Phase I excludes Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties until further notice.
The Governor outlined the guiding principles for the recovery process, which include: public health and safety, protection of the vulnerable, health care system readiness, economic recovery, protecting civil liberties, public confidence, and partnership with local communities. In addition, Governor DeSantis added that Phase I will include:
- Protecting vulnerable citizens
- Increasing testing
- Promoting social distancing
- Supporting hospital capacity
- Preventing the introduction from outside the state
Adhering to President Trump and the national task force criteria for gating, Florida meets the criteria and is ready to advance to Phase 1.
Testing facilities will include walk up sites in underserved communities. Additional testing sites in Phase I will include: Sarasota/Manatee, Escambia, Lee, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties, with capacity for 750 tests a day. There will be a mobile lab that can conduct 3,500 tests per week with 45-minute results to be used in high-risk areas for health care workers and long-term care facilities.
Contact tracing will continue by Florida’s Department of Health and some of the state’s largest universities through hundreds of epidemiologists, researchers, and physicians.
Phase I includes:
- Schools remain distance learning
- No visits to long–term care facilities
- Elective surgeries resume statewide
- Restaurants may open which offer outdoor seating six feet apart and with indoor seating following CDC
- Guidelines of six feet apart at 25 percent capacity
- Retail may open at 25 percent indoor capacity
- No change for bars, gyms, and personal services such as hair dressers
In addition, all individuals should maximize physical distance and avoid socializing in groups of more than 10.
The Governor said the state will be data driven and continue to monitor, test more, and evaluate as needed.
The Governor’s Re-Open Task Force full report is expected to be available on this site https://www.flgov.com/ tomorrow along with the complete Executive Order https://www.flgov.com/2020-executive-orders/.
For a complete recording of the press release visit https://thefloridachannel.org,