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County and municipal officials in South Florida were faced with the possible impact of the executive order issued on May 3 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis concerning COVID-19 restrictions.
The governor’s order immediately overrides all local COVID-19 emergency orders and mandates in the state and orders counties and municipalities not to issue restrictions on businesses.
“In the state of Florida, we worked very hard…to jettison those types of policies,” Gov. DeSantis said of his continued push to undermine lockdowns and COVID-19 related bans.
Now local officials are scrambling to see what options they have to deal with the ongoing health crisis.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava issued the following statement on May 4:
“We are still in a public health emergency and our economy has not fully rebounded from crisis. Miami-Dade County will continue to require key COVID safety precautions including masking, distancing, and disinfecting at all county spaces, including libraries, county parks, and county buildings. A federal mask mandate remains in place for public transit, Miami International Airport, and PortMiami.
“According to the governor’s executive order, local businesses are no longer mandated to require COVID safety precautions including masking. However, I urge our business community to continue to keep the fundamentals in place — masking, distancing, disinfecting, and staying home when sick — to protect all our residents and visitors. And I’ve been encouraged by many businesses who are voluntarily choosing to keep these precautions in place for the safety of their employees and customers. I urge our community to continue using common sense to prevent the spread of the virus and to treat those around you, particularly in public spaces, with respect by keeping your mask on when around those outside your household.
Mayor Levine Cava’s statement continued, “The local state of emergency remains in place, and the county will continue to provide COVID relief and response services including vaccination, testing, and senior meals. Above all, I urge all our residents — if you haven’t already, get vaccinated. It is our best and only path forward out of the pandemic. Find the vaccination site nearest you and make a plan today to get the shot: miamidade.gov/vaccine.”
Municipal officials were resigned, but hoping to find solutions.
Newly elected City of Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago said, “Our hands are tied in regards to the governor’s executive order.”
Town of Cutler Bay Mayor Tim Meerbott said, “We don’t have any restrictions as we have to follow court rules. I don’t believe the county can override the governor.”
Mayor Karyn Cunningham of the Village of Palmetto Bay said, “We are not going to be making any immediate changes. We will still have virtual committee meetings and hybrid council meetings. Our attorney is studying it. His initial opinion is that the governor has used the word suspend, not repeal. There may be FEMA implications as well as it relates to the reimbursements for money spent during COVID.”
Cutler Bay town manager Rafael Casals observed that he believes individuals still have some control of the situation.
“Businesses can still choose to restrict service to people who don’t wear masks, just as they can to people who don’t wear shoes or shirts,” Casals said. “And customers can choose not to do business with places that don’t maintain safe health practices.”
As of this writing, there were some 2,260,000 total cases of COVID-19 in Florida with 35,634 deaths, and only 31.6 percent of the population in Florida was fully vaccinated.
