Name: Florida surgeon general warns social distancing could be needed for a year or more
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Florida surgeon general warns social distancing could be needed for a year or more

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Florida surgeon general warns social distancing could be needed for a year or more, or at least until a vaccine is developed. TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s surgeon general warned Monday that social distancing measures put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, might be needed at least until a vaccine is developed, which most experts have said is at least a year away. “We don’t have a vaccine at the present time, so our mitigation measure is the social distancing,” Scott Rivkees said during a press briefing in the Capitol. “As long as we’re going to have COVID in the environment — and this is a tough virus — we’re going to have to practice these measures so that we are all protected ... based on what has been reported probably a year if not longer is what some individuals have talked about.” Advertisement The message clashes with the more optimistic picture pitched by some officials, including President Trump, for reopening the economy after the number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths dwindle. Gov. Ron DeSantis, key Trump ally, has previously spoken about how social distancing measures are temporary, and that resident aren’t likely to heed draconian stay-at-home orders indefinitely. Earlier in the briefing, Rivkees said that Florida has “been stable for the past week” — meaning the number of new cases each day has remained relatively the same at about 1,000. DeSantis also cited optimistic numbers, noting that total current hospitalizations have decreased by 27 over the past day. The state reported the cumulative amount of hospitalizations at 2,694 as of Monday evening, but that number doesn’t reflect the number who have recovered and left the hospital. He noted that Florida’s per capita death rate of 2 for every 100,000 people in the state ranks 15th among states. DeSantis spokeswoman Helen Ferre said Rivkees comments were consistent with administration policy, and that while social distancing measures might be relaxed as the threat recedes, some amount of protective measures will be needed until there’s a vaccine. Rivkees’ remarks came during a briefing called by DeSantis to announce that he was directing the Florida National Guard to create more “strike teams” to significantly ramp up testing for coronavirus in long term care facilities. “Doing strike teams, I think, would be good for the residents. But I also think it would be good to identify this with staff so appropriate staff can be isolated and we can prevent an outbreak among staff at nursing homes and long-term care facilities,” DeSantis said. “This is an important additional protection and an additional step.” Daily A daily update on the coronavirus crisis in Florida. You are now following this newsletter. Ten teams of four will be sent to sample “all willing people” in nursing homes and other facilities, beginning in South Florida where there have been a number of positive cases in such facilities. Advertisement That number has significantly jumped in Florida in the last week to more than 900 cases, and overall nationally at least 2,300 such facilities in 37 states have reported positive cases with more than 3,000 deaths, . DeSantis’ administration, though, is not identifying the facilities where patients have tested positive. DeSantis has come under fire after his attorney asked a law firm last week not to file a Miami Herald lawsuit against the state to identify the facilities. The firm decided not to file the lawsuit, but the Herald has said it will file suit anyway with different counsel. The Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun-Sentinel will sue as well, but editor-in-chief Julie Anderson said she hopes the DeSantis administration will fulfill a similar records request filed by the papers. grohrer@orlandosentinel.com or (850) 222-5564 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read • Coronavirus Advertisement Advertisement

Florida surgeon general warns social distancing could be needed for a year or more, or at least until a vaccine is developed. TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s surgeon general warned Monday that social distancing measures put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, might be needed at least until a vaccine is developed, which most experts have said is at least a year away. “We don’t have a vaccine at the present time, so our mitigation measure is the social distancing,” Scott Rivkees said during a press briefing in the Capitol. “As long as we’re going to have...

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