"The party is over" for spring break vacationers crowding the beaches in Florida despite warnings about the coronavirus epidemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday.
"You're not going to be able to congregate on any beach in the state," DeSantis told Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "Maybe come back next year, but that's not what we are looking for in the state of Florida."
All beaches won't be closed, but the ones that remain open must abide by guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control, he added, and that means no groups of more than 10 people.
Pictures have been circulating of revelers in several locations, including Miami and Clearwater Beaches, but DeSantis pointed out that vacationers at Clearwater were there when the CDC's guidance was for groups of 250 people. The number was dropped to groups of 50 on Monday and then to 10 on Tuesday, he said.
"We have sheriff's deputies in Brevard County out on ATVs making sure there's no groups," said DeSantis. "That's a good approach...regardless of local decisions, you're not going to be able to congregate like those images that you saw."
Meanwhile, there have been countless cancellations, which will have a major effect on workers in Florida, said the governor.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who has been under quarantine in recent days after being exposed to the virus told CNN's "New Day" he feels fine, but as far as the beaches are concerned, people should take care to be completely isolated.
"Every part of government has to start telling people, take some personal responsibility here," he said. "Don't infect other people. Don't take a chance you're the one that causes your grandparents or your parents or another friend from school to get sick.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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