Addressing the record-breaking spike in new coronavirus cases in his state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday that his administration will be encouraging—but not requiring—people to wear masks. But the Republican and his staffers were not wearing masks as he delivered this message, even though some were standing closer than 6 feet apart, the Miami Herald reported.
Florida has recorded new one-day highs in COVID-19 cases three times in the last week, and 12.3 percent of those tested in the latest round had a positive result. But DeSantis—who pushed an aggressive reopening schedule—says the state is actually in a better position than it was in March or April. “A new case is just a positive test. It doesn’t mean somebody’s sick,” he said. But the state also reported 44 deaths in the last day, including a 17-year-old boy.
