Calgary Ron DeSantis Lifts Bar And Restaurant Limits As COVID Kills Hundreds In Florida Weekly | HuffPost Latest News - Action.News ABC Action News WestNet-HD Weather Traffic

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) lifted restrictions on restaurants, bars and other businesses in Florida on Friday even as COVID-19 continues to kill hundreds of people each week in his state.

He also vowed not to reinstate restrictions in the future.

DeSantis issued an emergency order allowing restaurants and bars to immediately serve customers at full capacity with minimal social distancing requirements, which medical experts believe is particularly risky for the spread of the coronavirus.

There will not be limitations from the state of Florida, DeSantis said at a press conference.

Local governments will still have the option to restrict operations to a minimum of 50% capacity but they will have to make a case to do so, he added.

The action at least temporarily ends a shutdown order for bars, nightclubs and strip clubs throughout Miami-Dade County, a COVID hotspot, the Miami Herald reported.

DeSantis is also banning any local fines for the refusal to wear a face mask or social distance, regardless of local rules.

I think we need to get away from trying to penalize people for social distancing, and just work with people constructively, DeSantis said.

He also argued that businesses need predictability and declared that the reopenings wouldnt be reversed.

Were not closing anything going forward, said DeSantis. Yet he also declared, without offering any details, that the state is prepared if we see an increase.

The mayor of Miami Beach immediately blasted the decision, calling it purely political and dangerous.

The governor has always tried to be as much like President Trump as possible [and] just ignore mainstream science, said Mayor Dan Gelber. This is really not the way to handle either a health care or economic crisis. Its going to kill people.

Bars and clubs had been shut down in Miami-Dade County. Indoor dining was capped at 50% capacity.

Just as DeSantis was touting lifting restrictions, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez tweeted that the regions positive COVID tests were beginning to inch upward again. We cant let our guard down now, he warned.

#MaskUpMiami: Today's positivity rate inched slightly above 5%. We can't let our guard down now that more of us are out in public. Remember to enjoy your time out safely so we don't go backwards. Here is today's #NewNormal Dashboard: https://t.co/h5eJBzHpoJ pic.twitter.com/Ox9u6Jf1AD

Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) September 25, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez","author_url":"https://twitter.com/MayorGimenez","cache_age":86400,"description":"#MaskUpMiami: Today's positivity rate inched slightly above 5%. We can't let our guard down now that more of us are out in public. Remember to enjoy your time out safely so we don't go backwards. Here is today's #NewNormal Dashboard: https://t.co/h5eJBzHpoJ pic.twitter.com/Ox9u6Jf1AD Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) September 25, 2020\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":938,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EixhrogXcAEpTt4.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1280,"title":"Mayor Carlos A. 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#MaskUpMiami : Today's positivity rate inched slightly above 5%. We can't let our guard down now that more of us are out in public. Remember to enjoy your time out safely so we don't go backwards. Here is today's #NewNormal Dashboard: https://t.co/h5eJBzHpoJ pic.twitter.com/Ox9u6Jf1AD
Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) September 25, 2020

Florida has lost more than 14,000 people to COVID, the fifth-highest death toll of all U.S. states. Floridas death toll per 100,000 people is third in the nation.

It also has a high percentage of older residents who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. DeSantis appeared to diminish concerns about that group succumbing to COVID by referring to his state earlier this year as Gods waiting room for retirees .

DeSantis was one of the last governors in the nation to issue a stay-at-home order and restrictions on businesses because of the pandemic, saying he was waiting for guidelines from the White House which never came. He also largely gave spring-breakers free rein to pack the states beaches , bars and restaurants.

Floridas COVID hospitalizations and death toll have dropped significantly since earlier this summer, but the state continues to lose close to 700 residents weekly to the illness. Those numbers could worsen with reopened schools and DeSantis elimination of restrictions.

The governors full press conference can be seen below:

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