Florida’s ban on serving alcohol to people in bars will be reevaluated daily, the state’s top business regulator said in a series of tweets over the weekend that also offered apologies for the crackdown.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is “trying to figure out a way forward” for bars, nightclubs and craft breweries that are essentially having to shut down again because of “widespread non-compliance” with coronavirus guidelines — non-compliance he attributed mostly to young adults who are “going to do what they’re going to do.”
“My view is, I’d rather have those places open, complying,” DeSantis said during a news conference on coronavirus response efforts at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. “I think that’s probably less risky than what a lot of the young people end up doing. They’re still going to do things, most likely. And you may end up doing things in ways that are that are even more risky.”
Halsey Beshears, secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, issued an order Friday suspending on-site consumption of alcohol at bars amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the state. The order doesn’t affect restaurants or other businesses that derive 50 percent or less of their gross revenue from the sale of alcohol.
Bars had been allowed to reopen June 5 in the second phase of DeSantis’ effort to revitalize the economy. They were limited to 50 percent indoor capacity and were only supposed to provide service to seated customers.
“Nothing I say or do will stop the pain, small business owners are feeling,” Beshears tweeted Saturday. “I empathize & understand, I’ve been there. It’s more then u: it’s your employees & the families they support. I’ll keep taking the hate, if it makes any of you feel better.”
“We must forcefully flatten the curve,” he continued. “This decision was not a knee jerk reaction, nor was it made lightly, but based on evidence and the correlation in spikes after phase 2 reopening. We will get it right, then get people back to work ASAP.”
Beshears pointed to the difficulty faced by bar owners when Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, tweeted late Saturday that, “If I owned a Bar I would open up immediately.”
“I’ll play this game,” Beshears replied. “So you have a bar and u opened last night. Your max occupancy is 200 people. 200 show up. What do you do?”
Under Beshears’ order, bars are allowed to sell drinks in “sealed containers” for off-site consumption.
To one Twitter post that said, “Florida once again providing living proof that, as a society, we cannot handle having nice things,” Beshears simply replied, “I’m sorry.”
To a Twitter user who expressed that “Alcohol is not essential,” Beshears replied, “Many would probably disagree with this statement.”
When asked why the state didn’t just suspend or revoke licenses of establishments that violated the rules, Beshears noted incidents were widespread of bars exceeding the guidelines.
“We did that earlier this week,” Beshears responded in a tweet. “Since it’s so widespread and the infected demographic so clear, we needed to grab this forcefully and immediately. Am going to consider this daily moving forward.”
Last Monday, Beshears’ department suspended the license of the Knight’s Pub in Orlando for violating the terms of DeSantis’ order that allowed bars to reopen.
The number of coronavirus cases has soared in Florida this month, with the Department of Health on Sunday reporting an additional 8,530 cases. DeSantis has repeatedly cited young adults as a major reason for the spike and focused on how the virus does not cause as many deaths and serious medical problems for young people as it does for seniors and people with underlying health conditions.
But the Florida Democratic Party in an online ad Sunday took a shot at DeSantis for his claims that Florida had a hold on the virus in May.
“Despite two consecutive record shattering days this weekend, DeSantis wants us to believe that nothing has changed and that we are on the path to reopening the economy safely,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said in a statement Sunday. “With nearly 10,000 cases confirmed just yesterday (Saturday), it has never been more clear that DeSantis failed Florida. Like his mentor Donald Trump, DeSantis is playing politics instead of prioritizing the health and safety of Floridians.”
–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida
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Concerned Citizen says
Our government will target small busniesses that are barely making it anyways. But allow rioting,looting and destruction of property in large numbers. Got it message recieved.
De Santis and his other cronies are on a long list of do not vote for. I’ll be doing my part to make sure they don’t get re-elected.
had enough already says
You people all seem to forget. It’s not just about opening businesses. What about all those protestors… AND you really need to look at the number of hospitalized and put in ICU compared to the number of infected. My daughter had it, and she has asthma and was never sent to the hospital.
Trailer Bob says
No comments? Guess we are all getting tired of reading articles that explain what most of us already know. We are curious of other issues…we are living through this one, so we get it.
Stephen Smith says
You can blame young people all you want. But, Some of the blame has to be on the bar owners themselves. They know what the guidelines are for opening their business. If they had enforced them on their customers the rise in virus cases would have been less.
You can’t re-open at 50% capacity and let 100% of the people in.
Jane says
Please please please close the beaches and all non essential buissness before July 4th weekened! We the residents of Flagler County beg you!
maggie says
This closure of “bars”is being done by TYPE OF LIQUOR LICENSE ONLY. Which is foolish at best.
When I can go to a restaurant and drink, am I magically no longer able to spread COVID? When I go to a restaurant and scarf down an appetizer of three shrimp, can I magically no longer spread COVID?
This governor is a coward, and so is this Bashears character. First and foremost, this is a damned lie:
“Since it’s so widespread and the infected demographic so clear”
So all those protesters and troublemakers that were here TWO WEEKS AGO had nothing to do with the spike? Opening up the attractions statewide, opening beaches, NONE OF THAT had to do with the “spike”?
What intelligence-insulting crap. Ron DeSantis is toast. He had a bunch of online “damage control” fanned out over Facebook and Twitter this past weekend, trying to spin that “this was not his call”. Like he couldn’t rescind it RIGHT NOW. That’s another damned lie. These two are responsible for putting THOUSANDS back out of work again, as well as putting extra burdens on actual restaurants with this. And this can ALL be laid at the feet of this state government.
This is not about “drinking” and it’s not about “limiting numbers of ill people”–it’s about putting a bunch of standalone bars out of business so all the fatcats who have newfound wealth since the last recession can pick up some cheap real estate. I have never been so disgusted at government in all my born days as I am this day, and I ain’t no youngster.
Only Me says
“Despite two consecutive record shattering days this weekend, DeSantis wants us to believe that nothing has changed and that we are on the path to reopening the economy safely,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said in a statement Sunday. “With nearly 10,000 cases confirmed just yesterday (Saturday), it has never been more clear that DeSantis failed Florida. Like his mentor Donald Trump, DeSantis is playing politics instead of prioritizing the health and safety of Floridians.”
CHAIRWOMAN TERRIE RIZZO I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU DESANTIS HAS FAILED FLORIDA, FOLLOWING IN DONALD TRUMPS SHOES FOR FAILING THE PEOPLE OF THE USA. IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS WE DO NOT NEED POLITICIANS HANDLING OR DON’T CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF IT’S PEOPLE.
CB from PC says
The people ignoring social distancing and failing to wear masks as they congregate, are the ones who are putting themselves And EVERYONE else at risk.
It is not DeSantis, not Trump.
Get a grip on reality, Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo.
It is you who are “playing politics”.
M.N. Stevens says
Enforce with penalties social distancing and proper face mask on All public activities including all protesting, how are all these “diverse” people immune from the virus or from infecting others? This is not racism, it is common sense. Something that is very rare in today’s society, regrettably. Thank you.
Neal Ecker says
This really does not need to be political although people will go out of their way to try and do just that especially in an election year. I do not blame President Trump nor do I blame Governor DeSantis but rather the blame needs to put squarely where it belongs…on socially irresponsible people, regardless of age, who feel they are infallible and will never get the virus or be asymptomatic and pass it on to the less fortunate. Social responsibility takes all forms…drive around and look at the servers at restaurants…are they all wearing masks?
Unfortunately, I think we are at a point where more counties need to adopt the recently enacted policy established by Orange and Hillsborough Counties i.e. mask wearing when out in public is mandatory. Of course with mandatory requirements comes all of the problems associated with enforcement and it really should not come to have to be a mandatory situation but until we get a better handle on this, I think it may need to be.
Frank Clair says
I agree. Stop blaming DeSantis and Trump. We brought this on ourselves by not conforming to the rules.
Flagmire says
The time for debate is over. For those of you that are concerned about your freedoms, enjoy those Darwin awards. To the people afraid of the virus, overwhelmed hospitals, and what the crazies will do when they have to confront reality- there is no telling what will happen next. Those in charge of the government have abandoned us. There will be no help. God save us.
Gigi says
Maybe if tRump wore a mask the Republicans of Florida would wear them too. Monkey see monkey do.
Oh Crap says
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/world-s-dominant-strain-of-coronavirus-is-10-times-more-infectious-than-the-one-that-jumped-to-humans-in-china-because-it-mutated-so-its-vital-spike-protein-doesn-t-snap-as-often-in-the-body-scientists-say/ar-BB167e7l?ocid=msedgdhp
New strain of the Coivid-19 virus is 10 times more dangerous then what we just went thru. Personally , I would go to the Bars and start drinking heavy. Because we don’t have much time left people.
John Stove says
It starts at the top….The “leader” of our country has been downplaying the crisis since DAY ONE. Then his “boys” such as Desantis dont want to be bullied by him (tweeted ), so they agree that we dont need masks OR that we should re-open the state even though we didn’t meet the CDC guidance for a safe re-opening..
NOW all hell is breaking loose with Covid spikes because of their actions (no masks needed and go ahead and re-open) and they are trying to blame young people and increased testing as the reasons for the spikes.
This is what happens when you elect people who have no idea what it takes to run a country/state and be the leaders we need to guide us. As a former Republican and Military Vet, I am more than disgusted with the GOP and like others will vote for a new leader who gets it (Biden).
Hows that “winning” thing working for you?…….
Sam says
Jane,
“WE” are residents and “WE” DO want beaches open! You don’t speak for us. Speak for yourself!
The Voice Of Reason says
Desantis has shown minimal leadership concerning the virus. He’s only concerned with doing what trump tells him to do. It’s OK, the virus will have the last word. Quickly too. The protest videos I looked at had a very high degree of mask wearing. The bars and restaurants, not much if any. The kids will bring the virus to mom and dad and the grandparents.
Trailer Bob says
So let me get this straight, Our Governor opens up for business and people scream, They tell us to wear protective mask, shields, etc, and people scream. They close down bars and people scream.
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
When I was a kid, you got sick…you got sick. Now everyone one blames this on someone else, like some people created this Covid crap.
The only thing we have left is our civility, and that will deteriorate if we keep on playing the blame-game.
My wife and I blame no one. We do what we feel we need to do to keep safe and sane.
I truly hope that all this blaming crap is mostly found here, as I personally don’t seem to hear of it other than in the media. You know, the entity that loves to see viewers or readers at each other’s throats.
We have really gone way overboard with all the disrespectful commentary and conversations.
Oh Well, it sells papers and/or increases readership…for awhile though and at some point most of us will just get tire of this crap.
Gary R says
@John Stove – Joe Biden is in a different world. Have you not listen to him?
John Stove says
Gary:
Are you kidding me? What world (or planet) is Trump on?
This guy has no clue and spends his “executive time” watching TV news and tweeting. Maybe he should read and pay attention to his intelligence briefings and be a leader by wearing a mask.
Tell Trump to stop re-tweeting racist B.S.
This is not the GOP I remember
K says
What about the Veteran’s clubs? The AMVETS, for instance, has members that probably 75% or more are not younger than 50 years old. We are not a bunch of kids. We don’t have more than 50% come in at a time. If our members are uncomfortable being in there, they just don’t come in. We got penalized as well as our bartenders because a bunch of selfish ”kids” decide to congregate on the beach, and at bars, protesters gathered and marched a couple times. The looting and rioting of these ignorant, selfish, non-moral idiots are the main reason the spike in cases. We are a private club. We are not your town bar or a night club. But we are AGAIN suffering the consequences.
In my opinion, open everything. If people are uncomfortable they can make their own decision. As ignorant and stupid as some people are..we’re adults. They know what they should and should not do. If they get sick then they get sick. Make it mandatory to wear masks except when eating and drinking. The economy has to get going and very quickly. Too many SB owners lives are being ruined.