(Emily Crane’s article from the DAILY MAIL UK on March 18, 2021.)
Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has hit
out at those who have previously criticized his no-restriction approach to the
COVID-19 pandemic, defiantly telling them: 'Florida got it right'.
The state hasn't had any statewide restrictions for at least six months after DeSantis allowed businesses, including bars and restaurants, to open at full capacity. He also prohibited municipalities from fining people who refuse to wear masks.
His approach was
criticized at the time by some health experts and the governors of Democratic
states, such as California and New York, who had enforced stricter lockdown
measures on their residents.
'Everyone told
me I was wrong,' DeSantis said in a fundraising appeal on Tuesday, according to
CNN. 'I faced continued pressure from
radical Democrats and the liberal media but I refused to back down. 'It's
clear: Florida got it right.'
Despite starkly
differing approaches, Florida and California have both experienced almost
identical outcomes in COVID-19 case rates. California has had a COVID-19 case
rate of about 8,900 per 100,000 residents since the pandemic began, according
to the latest CDC data. Meanwhile, Florida's case count is at 9,000 per 100,000
residents.
Both rank in the
middle among states for COVID-19 death rates: Florida has had 150 deaths per
100,000, while California is at 140 fatalities per 100,000 since the pandemic
began. Cases, deaths and hospitalizations in Florida and California have been
declining after peaking to record highs in the wake of Thanksgiving.
Florida has had
roughly 3 percent more COVID-19 cases per capita than the US total but 8
percent less deaths. While research has found that mask mandates and limits on
group activities can help slow the spread of COVID-19, states with greater
government-imposed restrictions, such as California, have not always fared
better than those without them.
Florida's response to the pandemic has meant its
economy has been booming. Spring breakers are currently crowding Florida cities
and Miami has seen an influx of of famed New York City restaurants opening up
shop.
Despite starkly
differing approaches, Florida and California have both experienced almost
identical outcomes in COVID-19 case rates. Both states reported steep drop offs
in cases following the peak that occurred after Thanksgiving.
'This is going
to be an important question that we have to ask ourselves: What public health
measures actually were the most impactful, and which ones had negligible effect
or backfired by driving behavior underground?' Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar
at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told the Associated Press.
In a press conference on Tuesday, DeSantis doubled down on his response by saying that lockdowns imposed by other states had damaged the country. 'Those lockdowns have not worked. They've done great damage to our country,' he said. 'We still have millions of kids across this country who are denied access to in-person education. We still have businesses closed in many parts of this country. We have millions and millions of lives destroyed.'
President Biden's CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky has warned, however, that the number of infections in Florida could spike off the back of Spring Breakers flocking to the state amid the spread of a COVID-19 variant. (Fucking Socialists)
 |
| No fucking lockdowns in Desantis's Florida. |
Australian politicians need to display ‘the sameleadership’ as Ron DeSantis
The Australian’s
Washington Correspondent Adam Creighton says Australian politicians are going
to have to “display the leadership” of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and stand
up to lockdowns.
Mr Creighton
said Governor DeSantis took on the mainstream media and narrative of “doom and
gloom”. “Quite extraordinary,” he told Sky News host Alan Jones.
Discussing the
contrast with Australia’s response to the pandemic, Mr Creighton said one of
the premiers or the Prime Minister is going to have to display the same
leadership as DeSantis. “I think that is extremely unlikely.”
NSW lockdown has been extended two more weeks
 |
| Lockdown-loving Duo of NSW. |
Premier Gladys Berejiklian says Sydney’s lockdown
will be extended for “at least” a further two weeks until Friday July 30. New
South Wales recorded 97 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases with 24 infectious
in the community.
Ms Berejiklian
said people in Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast,
Wollongong and Shellharbour will remain in their homes for another two weeks
due to health advice she has received.
"It always
hurts to say this but we need to extend the lockdown at least a further two
weeks from Friday 16 July to Friday 30 July," she said. The extension will
also apply for students who are currently learning from home.
Sky News
reporter Danica De Giorgio quizzed Ms Berejiklian on whether the two-week
extension would be long enough to get to as close as zero cases as possible. "The
advice on the two weeks is provided by health," she responded.
"We will
know at the end of the two weeks to what extent we need to extend the lockdown,
whether there is any chance of face-to-face learning." The premier said
more data was needed before they can reassess the situation but will update NSW
residents in a timely manner for business to prepare to open and parents to
organise returning to work.
Sydneysiders had
hoped to have freedom by this Friday but their hopes were dashed after 97 cases
were reported in the latest test results. Of the new locally acquired cases, 61
are linked to a known case or cluster – with 45 being household contacts and 16
identified as close contacts. The source of infection for 36 cases remains
under investigation.
There are
currently 71 COVID cases receiving care in hospital, with 20 of those in
intensive care, and four on ventilators. The outbreak - that originated in
Bondi after a limo driver transporting airline crew caught the virus - has
grown to 864 cases.
The lockdown was
initially set for two weeks - to end on Friday July 9 - but health officials
were not ready to come out of lockdown after a spike in COVID-19 infections. It
was extended for an extra week, with Sydneysiders hoping they could be freed on
Friday July 16 at 11:59pm.
People will only be allowed to leave for five
reasons:
obtain food or
other goods and services
to provide care
or personal needs for vulnerable people
travel for work
or education if not possible at home
exercise and
take outdoor recreation in Greater Sydney
go out for
medical or caring reasons, including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination
 |
| Lockdown-Loving Premier of NSW Gladys Barejiklian. |
