“Party’s over,” says Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
This was his message to college students who have ignored the deadly coronavirus pandemic and flooded the Sunshine State beaches in recent days.
DeSantis is ordering that all beaches — “Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Clearwater Beach” — be emptied.
It’s DeSantis’ latest move after spring break partygoers crowded the beaches and rejected the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “social distancing” advisory.
DeSantis initially allowed respective mayors of beaches around the state to decide on whether to remain open to the public.
The Florida governor faced pressure to shut down the party after images and videos released online showed thousands of partying students congregating throughout Florida.
Clearwater Beach, Florida is PACKED today despite "social distancing" recommendations. https://t.co/WzGydcP1Ja pic.twitter.com/vsRD4QLbhr
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) March 16, 2020
Though DeSantis had shut down bars and nightclubs for 30 days, thousands of students still voyaged out to the beaches. Many young party animals have been highlighted in the news cycle, fighting for their right to rage.
One partygoer, Brady Sluder, even told Reuters: “If I get corona, I get corona. It’s not going to stop me from partying.”
“The message I think for spring breakers is that the party’s over in Florida,” DeSantis said. “You’re not going to be able to congregate on any beach in the state. Many of the hot spots that people like to go to, whether it’s Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Clearwater Beach, are closed entirely for the time being.”
“So we would tell those folks maybe come back next year when things are better … ”
And the previous governor agrees.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who is currently self-quarantining, expressed anger over the developing situation.
“What are you thinking about by being on the beach around all these people that might have coronavirus and you’re going to go home and potentially infect the people you love the most,” Scott said.
“What are you thinking?” he added. “Stop doing it now!”
The Horn editorial team