Florida residents might be social distancing and wearing facemasks for a year because of COVID-19, the state’s top public health officer said Monday. “Until we get a vaccine, which is a while off, this is going to be our new normal and we need to adapt and protect ourselves,” state Surgeon General and Florida Department of Health Secretary Scott Rivkees told reporters.
When asked to explain his remarks, Rivkees said, “As long as we are going to have COVID in the environment, and this is a tough virus, we are going to have to practice these measures so we are all protected.” There is no vaccine to prevent infection with the novel coronavirus, which causes the deadly COVID-19 respiratory disease.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and other experts maintain that a vaccine won’t be available for another 12 to 18 months. When Rivkees was asked to explain how long the “new normal” could last, he said it could be “probably a year, if not longer.”
As of Monday morning, Florida had 20,601 cases of the novel coronavirus, and 470 residents had died. State Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said Monday the anticipated peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Florida has been moved back in a forecast model from April 24 to April 26.
“We continue to watch the models as new data is gathered and prepare accordingly,” Moskowitz said during a news conference at the Capitol with Rivkees and Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington School of Medicine had initially put the peak at May 3, basing its forecast on the influx of cases and hospital capacity, along with state and national public-health data and information from the World Health Organization.
–News Service of Florida
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WhackAMole says
Honestly, I am so, so good with social isolation and social distancing. I am one million percent loving this. I feel zero pressure to attend parties, or office functions, or social gatherings. There is no stress. No anxiety. I have never felt so relaxed. It is fantastic. For once, I’m not the oddball that doesn’t want to be around people for longer than I have to be. No one will get into my personal space. I can tell people to back up if they are too close. I don’t have to hug anyone. It’s fabulous.
Name (required) says
100% agree. This is heaven on Earth. I don’t have to chit-chat with anymore “single serving friends,” and I can stand in a line at the store without someone breathing on my neck. No being dragged out to social functions I don’t want to attend. Absolutely awesome. I can finally be the society avoiding person I’ve wanted to be since I moved to this area. Bliss!!
Quido Poncini says
Yes, all that indiscriminate hugging was phony.
Fed up in PC says
Eff this. There may not be a vaccine but there is certainly a cure in the hydroxychloroquine and zpack combo. Not to mention most of us likely already have been exposed and showed no symptoms and recovered without even knowing. Or had it earlier than they claim is came over here. Anyone else have a really bad flu/cold in Jan or Feb? I did and I never get the flu. Knocked my entire office out.
This entire social distancing thing is a joke and is the Democrats last hope to win the 2020 election by pushing for voting by mail. And to make Trump look bad because they are tanking his economy by forcing these closures. They are making this “crisis” into something it isn’t. This covid19 is less deadly than the flu. Most who have died were already sick and probably would have succumbed to the normal flu. Notice how heart attack and flu and stroke deaths have magically drastically decreased the last 3 months? People dying of those are being counted as dying of covid in order to inflate the numbers and scare the public into giving up their freedoms.
I know myself and everyone on my street has had enough of this bull crap. There is no need to keep business closed, there is no need to social distance, there is no need to vote by mail so voter fraud can more easily take place. If you’re immunocompromised you need to be socially distant anyway during the flu season. Why do the rest of us have to shut down our lives? Especially since the tiny fraction of those who have a serious response to this virus can be treated with the hydroxy combo and survive.
FlaglerLive says
Fed up in PC is incorrect regarding hydroxychloroquine, whose benefits are unproven and appear to be dangerous to Covid-19 patients. As Live Science reports, “A Brazilian study testing the antimalarial drug chloroquine for COVID-19 had to be stopped early in one group of patients taking a high dose of the drug, after some patients in this group developed dangerous heart rhythm problems. Chloroquine and the related drug hydroxychloroquine have made headlines in recent weeks after President Donald Trump called the drugs a potential “game changer” for the treatment of COVID-19. […] after enrolling just 81 patients, the researchers saw some concerning signs. Within a few days of starting the treatment, more patients in the high dose group experienced heart rhythm problems than did those in the low dose group. And two patients in the high dose group developed a fast, abnormal heart rate known as ventricular tachychardia before they died. […] As a result of the findings, the researchers immediately halted the high-dose arm of the study. They warned against using such high doses for any COVID-19 patients.”
They rather people and the economy die says
You do realize the normal prescription would not be for a high dose?
Family member has lupus, she has taken it for over 20 years and no issues…many millions more…
Why is it you folks would rather see people die than give credit where it is due?
mark101 says
hydroxychloroquine , its not going to help everyone, its NOT some silver bullet for all. Regarding social distancing. Well go out and meet people and then when you and a family member catches Covid19 due ot this stupidity , come back and tell us hows that’s working. https://www.poison.org/articles/chloroquine-hydroxychloroquine
Maria Darcy says
Excellent! Well said! Bravo! Now open the damn county up and let’s get back to normal!
KDstrite says
i ❤️ you ….I am so glad you are my neighbor And is not afraid to call out bullshyt when they see it…
Roger says
Due to the loose restrictions in Florida of the “pretend” stay at home order by the Gov. Desantis, Florida will be stuck under stay at home orders even longer.
You can thank every neighbor that had family over for easter. You can thank every person who isnt taking this seriously.
Wear a mask to protect others. Stay home to protect yourself. We need boat ramps closed ASAP! Along with all fihing deemed non essential!
danm50 says
When will the National Guard start distributing FREE MASKS to the citizens of Palm Coast?
DANM50 says
When will the National Guard start distributing FREE MASKS, if not WHY NOT.
Agkistrodon says
A mask is great and all, however right above your mouth and nose are two other mucus lined openings. If a mask is necessary, my training in micro biology tells me eye coverings would be required as well. Just sayin…..one without the other is utterly useless and anyone who says different is either a liar or uneducated in the matter.
Steve says
I have practiced it ever since I moved here. Leaving for good in a week. Cant wait.