Gov. Ron DeSantis expects people to be better behaved in preventing the spread of the coronavirus during the Labor Day weekend than they were on Memorial Day.
Asked about the upcoming holiday weekend during an appearance Monday at UF Health at The Villages, DeSantis said people have become more active since the first phase of reopening in May while also being careful.
"I think you can be very active and just do it in a way that makes sense,” DeSantis said. “I think a lot of Floridians have really gotten into a good groove. You know, we're open. We have stuff going on, they understand that. Schools (reopening), obviously a big part of that. You know, but they're doing the basic things, and so I think If they continue to do that, I think we should be in good shape.”
During the Memorial Day weekend in late May, people were reported meeting outdoors in groups across the state, with international media attention focused on police having to disperse hundreds from an unauthorized gathering along a beachside road in Daytona Beach.
As Floridians celebrated the Memorial Day weekend, the number of coronavirus cases stood at 52,255, and the virus was tied to 2,338 deaths. As of Monday, the state reported 623,471 cases and 11,187 deaths of Florida residents.
