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Florida Governor Boasts About Beating Covid-19 Before Huge Surge In Cases

Florida Governor Boasts About Beating Covid-19 Before Huge Surge In Cases

The state reported 8,492 new cases on Friday - a new record

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

The Governor of Florida defiantly boasted about 'successfully' managing the spread of coronavirus weeks before a huge surge in cases in the state. You can watch the video below:

Ron DeSantis proudly bragged that Florida had defied critics last month, favourably comparing the number of cases with other states across the US.

However, fast-forward to the present day, and the state is in the midst of an unsettling surge in cases, with a record high of 8,492 new cases reported yesterday (Friday) - almost doubling the previous record of 4,500 new cases reported on Wednesday.

Addressing a journalist alongside Vice President Mike Pence back in May, DeSantis said: "You got a lot of people in your profession who waxed poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida is going to be just like New York, wait two weeks, Florida is going to be next, just like Italy.

DeSantis was bullish about Florida's handling of coronavirus last month.
PA

"Well hell, we're eight weeks away from that and it hasn't happened... I was the number one landing spot from tens of thousands of people coming from the number one spot in the world [New York] to my state.

"So we've succeeded, and I think people just don't want to recognise it because it challenges their narrative, it challenges their assumption, so they gotta try to find a boogeyman."

Despite the recent rapid rise in cases, De Santis has refused to make wearing a mask in public a legal requirement - as many health experts in the country have urged. He has also claimed that gatherings of youths may be to blame for the rise in cases.


Speaking at a press conference yesterday, he said: "We've advised that's something that could make an impact. At the same time, to do police and put criminal penalties on that is something that probably would backfire.

"The younger people, you know, if they're partying at somebody's house or something, they're probably not wearing masks. I mean, let's just be honest with that."

Due to the rise in cases, DeSantis has banned bars from selling alcohol across the state, in effect closing them.

Featured Image Credit: WFLA News

Topics: Coronavirus, US News, Politics