WHAT PANDEMIC?

Maskless Florida Gov. DeSantis Gives High Fives at Trump Rally—Then Rubs Nose

The Republican lawmaker made an appearance sans mask at the president’s first re-election rally since contracting COVID-19.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who lifted all restrictions on the state’s restaurants and bars approximately two weeks ago, made a maskless appearance at Donald Trump’s rally, the first the president has held since testing positive for COVID-19. News footage from The Recount shows the Republican lawmaker giving high fives to several members of the crowd before rubbing his nose, brazenly flouting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s physical distancing recommendations and advice to not touch your face with unwashed hands. DeSantis’ decision last month to move Florida into the third phase of its reopening plan even allows stadiums to operate at full capacity without clearance from state officials, and he has long refused to enact a mask mandate. More than 15,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Florida.