FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward County Mayor Dale V.C. Holness spent Friday morning on a conference call with local leaders and medical professionals as they work to move forward during the coronavirus crisis.
Holness was met by more than a dozen protestors at the downtown Fort Lauderdale Government Center hours after the county’s most recent Coronavirus Order went into effect. The Broward County mayor stressed that there needs to be a balance between health and Broward County’s economy.
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Holness said on Friday that the use of face masks and social distancing will continue to be enforced since he and other mayors are expecting a surge in coronavirus infections.
Gov. Ron DeSantis' order prevents Broward County from collecting fees since, but it doesn’t prevent officers from issuing citations with fees that can be collected later, Holness said.
He also said the mayors in the area will continue cohesive efforts to control infections. Holness' news conference comes a day after Broward County Public Schools announced students will begin a gradual return to schoolhouses on Oct. 9.
“That’s more activity that will cause the spread of the virus,” Holness said.
According to Broward County’s website:
The governor’s Executive Order 20-244, issued on September 25, 2020, expedited the reopening of all business in the state, including bars, nightclubs and other establishments previously closed by local emergency orders.
Local jurisdictions retain some rights to impose guidelines and restrictions, and the County remains committed to reopening in a way that promotes public health and control over COVID-19 numbers. Restrictions that require sanitization, social distancing and the wearing of facial coverings remain.
Reopened businesses must still follow the requirements of Broward County’s Emergency Orders, including sanitization, wearing of facial coverings and posting of required signage.
To help stop the spread of COVID-19, it is important for residents to adhere to social distancing and wear a facial covering in public. If you feel vulnerable, it’s safer for you to stay at home. If you decide to go out, read this from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) BEFORE you go.
To learn more about what Broward County is doing in response to coronavirus, go to Broward.org/Coronavirus.
According to the Florida Department of Health, Broward County has had 77,631 confirmed coronavirus infections and 1,415 deaths associated with COVID-19.
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