Florida governor continues to relax public measures despite surge of new COVID-19 cases [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during a news conference on Tuesday that the state won’t reimpose its restrictive measures it ordered during the early stage of the pandemic amid the rapid surge of new coronavirus cases.
• DeSantis pointed out that “the folks in those younger demographics” are at lower risks of getting serious illness or complications compared to the elderly population.
• According to the Florida Department of Health, although more than half of the state’s cases were at aged 45 and below, older adults comprised most hospitalization and fatality rates statewide.

The state of Florida will not reimpose the restrictive measures it placed during the start of the coronavirus outbreak amid the surge of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the past one month. Records were traced from new infections concerning young people.

Governor Ron DeSantis reiterated his earlier comments about the younger population’s recent spike of new coronavirus infections — restating the lockdown order was no longer needed since younger individuals are at a low risk of getting serious complications or death.

“Most of the folks in those younger demographics, although we want them to be mindful of what’s going on, are just simply much, much less at risk than the folks who are in those older age groups,” DeSantis said on Tuesday during a news conference.

DeSantis added that he was not considering closing down businesses or encouraging the residents to stay at home, despite the rising number of cases.

“We’re not going back, closing things. I don’t think that that’s really what’s driving it, people going to a business is not what’s driving it,” DeSantis told reporters. 

“I think when you see the younger folks, I think a lot of it is more just social interactions, so that’s natural,” he added.

According to the tracking by the Florida Department of Health (DOH), the median age of infected people was at 40 years old, an age lower than what was reflected days prior. Meanwhile, in some Florida counties, the median age of new cases was up to 15 years younger. 

Even if the numbers showed that more than 50 percent of Florida’s cases were diagnosed in aged 45 and below, most fatality and hospitalization rates statewide were attributed to the elderly people (65 and above).

Newsweek requested for comments from the governor’s office but had not gotten a response in time for publication.

As state officials attributed the surge of new cases to social gatherings at bars, the Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation already barred onsite drinking of alcohol.

Since March, Florida DOH has recorded more than 152,400 infections, with around 14,600 hospitalized patients and 3,500 fatalities as of Tuesday.

Source: Newsweek