MIAMI – Gov. Ron DeSantis is ready to sign a new contract to improve Miami-Dade’s contact tracing efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, his office announced Wednesday afternoon.
Contact tracers are the detectives who investigate COVID-19 infections to help control outbreaks during the pandemic. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said this was a Florida Department of Health task.
The FDOH runs the Miami-Dade County DOH agency.
Helen Aguirre Ferré, the director of communications for DeSantis’ office, said the contract to improve the outbreak management strategy in Miami-Dade County will also need Gimenez’s signature.
“Unfortunately, it has taken longer than anticipated for Mayor Gimenez to sign the contract because he and his staff continuously changed the parameters of what they were requesting,” Aguirre Ferré said, adding the discussion began on May 20th.
Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease physician with more than 30 years of experience in clinical medicine and pathology, said earlier this week Gimenez needs an army of contact tracers.
Marty said there are about 200 contact tracers in Miami-Dade. Experts estimate Miami-Dade needs at least 415.
DeSantis’ office did not release the name of the contractor or provide specifics about the funding. Contracts done through the Florida Division of Emergency Management do not follow the usual government’s competitive bidding rules.
“We should not look at this in any political framework at all we should focus on making sure making sure that our people are safe so we can get back to a real normal, normal.” -@ProfDrAMarty pic.twitter.com/DPmYFPsLt5
— Christina Vazquez (@CBoomerVazquez) July 8, 2020