The state is committed to doing everything it can to keep the coronavirus at bay, Gov. Ron DeSantis and high-ranking members of his administration said Thursday.
But that does not include providing information to the public about whether Florida residents are among the 445 people in the United States who the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says have been tested for the virus. And it doesn’t include providing free testing to people who are uninsured or underinsured.
DeSantis told reporters during a news conference that while he was open to disclosing the testing information to the public, he was advised not to do so by state Surgeon General Scott Rivkees.
“I actually wanted to give all the numbers, but they pointed me to the regulation of the statute,” DeSantis said, referring to a patient confidentiality statute.
DeSantis stressed that no one in Florida has tested positive for the coronavirus, which began in China and is known as COVID-19.
“If that were to change, then, obviously, Dr. Rivkees and my administration would want to let people know that ASAP,” DeSantis said.
Rivkees, who doubles as secretary of the state Department of Health, said the state’s response to COVID-19 would be varied.
“If there are individual cases or linked cases, our strategy will be to make sure these individuals first have the medical care they need. And that they are isolated so they cannot transmit this virus to others,” Rivkees said. “However, if there are multiple other unlinked cases where there appears to be widespread COVID-19, community-based strategies will be implemented, and this will involve avoiding group activities and group meetings.”
The DeSantis administration’s refusal to provide information about the number of people tested and the counties where they reside has faced sharp criticism from Democrats.
“Treating this as other jurisdictions have, where they don’t share information, they try to manage it internally and try to put on a face that everything is fine, that doesn’t shore up confidence,” state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D- Miami, said.
The coronavirus has drawn worldwide concerns in recent weeks, with the World Health Organization reporting 82,539 confirmed cases in 47 countries and 2,812 deaths.
As of Wednesday, 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in the U.S., excluding 42 confirmed cases involving Americans who were on a Diamond Princess cruise ship and three people who were repatriated from China.
A vaccine for the deadly virus isn’t expected to be ready for at least 18 months, according to Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
DeSantis’ news conference came after President Donald Trump on Wednesday night named Vice President Mike Pence the point person for the Trump administration on the coronavirus. The White House unveiled a $2.5 billion plan, including $1.8 billion in new funds, to fight COVID-19. More than $1 billion would be targeted to the development of a vaccine.
While the number of people tested in Florida has not been disclosed, the DeSantis administration provided information about what happens after people are tested.
Regardless if a person goes to a doctor’s office or a hospital, Rivkees said the testing sample is collected by county health department staff members and sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for analysis. Results, according to the DeSantis administration, are available in three to five days.
People who are tested are encouraged to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days. Department of Health officials told The News Service of Florida that the agency will follow up with phone calls to track if the people remain isolated.
Though the DeSantis administration is encouraging people to obtain flu shots and to get tested for COVID-19 if they are worried, the state is not providing free access or deferring costs of the tests.
Florida did not expand Medicaid to low-income childless adults as allowed under the federal Affordable Care Act. An estimated 13 percent of the population in 2019 was uninsured, according to the most recent America’s Health Ranking report.
The Miami Herald this week reported about a person who had traveled to China, returned to Florida and worried that he may have contracted the virus. He went to Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital for a test and was told he would first need a CT scan. He ultimately changed course, requesting that he first be tested for influenza. The influenza test was positive, and he subsequently received a $3,270 bill of which about $1,800 was covered by his insurance policy.
For people who are tested and self-quarantined and unable to work, DeSantis said there are “programs in place to mitigate some of those costs.”
When Rivkees was asked to comment about the programs, he said the state would work with people under quarantine “to make sure that they have the health care they will need.”
The coronavirus can be spread by droplets that are sprayed when people sneeze or cough or through contact such as shaking hands. John Sinnott, a Tampa General Hospital physician and University of South Florida faculty member, told state lawmakers this month he believes the virus also could be airborne, similar to tuberculosis.
Sinnott said one person infected with the coronavirus could spread it to an average of 2.2 people. Moreover, about 1.8 percent of the people infected with the coronavirus will die.
Such a potential spread has caused concerns among Florida school districts.
Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Miami-Dade County public schools, said Wednesday that he is prepared, if necessary, to close schools and to provide students with electronic devices so they can learn at home.
–Christine Sexton, News Service of Florida
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TheTruth says
So, Governor DeSantis like Donald Trump are not providing the American people with open honest information about what is going on. DeSantis stated he was told not to say anything. How special is that? And Pence in charge who has no medical background to ever been in charge of such a serious illness. People remember all this when you go vote in November.
george libonate says
That is typical of a republican-cant expect anything more. “Get use to it-we’re stuck with this guy who is a mirror image of Trump.
Baffled and frustrated says
If an uninsured person thinks they may have the coronavirus but cannot afford to be tested, they stay home and/or continue to live life normally and therefore spread the infection. So the state’s plan is to remain ignorant of the presence of disease by avoiding detection and documentation of it? I would think it would be in everyone’s best interest to know…
Steve Ward says
AH So the “Truth shall set you free” and our GOV. Mr. DeSantis trying to sweep it under the rug along with the Orange blowhard on the Hill. IFF the call for Universal HealthCare wasn’t heard now the King Virus will sound the Trumpets of alarm to those who make it all about money. I have mine screw you if you don’t and I am not helping to pay for yours. NOT the way to look at it. Until your children or Grandchildren die from something then it wont matter will it. The World is not as big as it once was due to travel and although nearly surrounded by a moat of Oceans this situation brings to the forefront We as a Nation are not as insulated as in the past, Healthcare needs to be shared somehow by ALL, and the Worship of Money, Investments , material gadgets is meaningless to that which is important. Family, Friends, folks all over the Globe. The Financial Market debacle is a siren sounding the need for change in the way we value our quality of life. Hedge Accordingly.
palmcoaster says
Anything goes, including accusing the opposite party to wish millions of corona virus deaths in this country to blame current POTUS. Also in China (as per POTUS) is tapering down and in USA in spring about April with the nice warm weather will just go away…so don’t worry be very positive and happy! The experts have spoken and to all else silence imposed!
MD says
It makes very little sense to chastise Federal & State gov’t at this point in time over a perception that the gov’t, in general, is not keeping Americans informed. There’s simply not enough data (within the US) yet for gov’t to act outside of what has already been implemented.
Steve says
MD HOW many Countries.? Not Testing ?? No Data because its not being shared or created. This Virus will stop because it hits American soil. Bet not.IMO Hell could be coming for breakfast and I’m no MD/Scientist/ etc….Not preparing for the worst case scenario like we should
bob says
Bullfeathers…..there are no confidentiality concerns with providing just numbers. Florida reports the number of flu cases by county monthy. But hey, according to Trump the coronavirus is just a “new hoax” by the Democrats…so why should we care.
tulip says
Trump fired employees of the CDC, cut funds from the CDC. Now he has shown he can’t handle a crisis so puts #2 guy in charge so he doesn’t have to deal with it, and has and will hide info from us now. He has not right to hide and lie about important matter such as coronavirus. Our lives to don’t matter to him, only the life of the stockmarket. This country is in a dangerous dangerous situation.. As far as the virus disappearing in April, the doctors say that a lot of flues disappear in warm weather but they have no idea how this new one act. Sure is an uncomfortable way to feel about the USA. Hopefully, some of the Trump lovers will realize just how careless and unfeeling about the public he really is and that he is only out for himself.
Gary R says
The Democrats are making the Coronavirus political. SAD. And, Gail Collins of the New York Times calling it Trumpvirus and blaming Trump. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins was in charge of the Ebola virus. Hypocrites. You just hate Trump. PERIOD.
Steve Ward says
No we dislike him and his dumbass brainwashed false narrative syncophants that cant think for themselves because now they belong. Guess what You’re Fired
Nothing more than Political weaponizing by him. How’s your 401K looking now lmao
palmcoaster says
What a bunch of baloney is this: “The Democrats are making the Coronavirus political”.
Sherry says
It is the PARANOID trump family that is doing all they can to divide us, and is politicising this very dangerous situation.
Don Jr.: Not at all. I mean, we’ve seen — like you said, we’ve seen this play out for four years. Anything that they can use to try to hurt Trump, they will. Anything he does in a positive sense, like you heard from the reporter that was just suspended from ABC, they will not give him credit for. The playbook is old at this point.
But for them to try to take a pandemic and seemingly hope that it comes here, and kills millions of people so that they could end Donald Trump’s streak of winning, is a new level of sickness.
DeSantis is despicable! People who can’t afford health insurance still are forced to pay taxes. Our government needs to test every single person who needs it. . . Period! We are all in this together, and NOT being tested endangers all of us!
Cynthia W says
Someday, someone who doesn’t have health insurance coverage might be in line with you at the grocery store, coughing or sneezing and possibly spreading COVID-19, because the governor won’t help fund testing. But don’t worry, when the weather warms up, it’ll all be OK. Right….
Shark says
Won’t that cheap t-rump healthcare cover it ????
Gary R says
@ tulip says – You ever fact check what you comment on? FACT CHECK: No, Trump Did Not ‘Fire’ Pandemic Specialist or ‘Defund’ CDC. VERDICT: Mostly false. The specialist was not fired; he quit. Some CDC cuts were proposed, but not implemented. He’s proposed cuts but Congress ignored him and increased financing instead. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aren’t suffering from budget cuts that never took effect.
In addition, the budget cuts proposed by Trump had absolutely nothing to do with Coronavirus prevention preparedness, and were related to Ebola virus response, which was no longer needed at such high levels because the threat from the virus in the US has faded.
Nevertheless, Democrats will willingly distort the facts and lie to the public to score political points.
Ben Dover says
Not cancelling Bike Week is going to be the biggest mistake they have ever made , lets bring 100.000 people in here from all over the country to spread this virus , I`m sure them living in a bar day and night is going to promote hand washing, these drunken idiots are going to spread this virus all over the east coast , but mainly in Volusia and Flagler counties , it will get into our supermarkets , schools , convenience stores , how damn greedy do you have to be to just ignore what a gathering like this is going to do , Screw these hotel and bar owners they live high on the hog as it is they don`t need this , it`s going to cost lives , and more than the few bikers that die each year , that alone should shut that shit show down , but whats destroying a few families a year to them padding their bank accounts , there were 13 deaths a few yrs back , that should of been the end of it , now the numbers could get crazy!