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FLORIDA HAS BANNED drinking alcohol at its bars as the coronavirus threatened to spiral out of control in the state.
The move came as Florida’s daily confirmed coronavirus cases neared 9,000, a new record almost double the previous mark set just two days earlier.
The Florida agency that governs bars announced the alcohol ban on Twitter just minutes after the Department of Health reported 8,942 new confirmed cases, topping the previous record of 5,500 set on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced he would sign an executive order closing beaches in the county over the Fourth of July weekend.
“I have decided that the only prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk,” he said in a statement.
State officials have attributed much of the new outbreak to young adults flocking to bars after they reopened in most of the state three weeks ago, with many of them ignoring social distancing restrictions aimed at lowering the virus’s spread.
Bars, like restaurants, were supposed to limit patrons to 50% of their normal capacity, under the state’s emergency orders. Patrons had to sit at tables, with groups six feet apart. No congregating at the bar or on the dance floor was permitted.
The new order prohibits any establishment that makes more than 50% of its revenue from alcohol sales from serving alcohol for consumption on site.
Restaurants that primarily sell food can still serve alcohol to customers seated at tables.
Business and Professional Regulations Secretary Halsey Beshears said he issued the order because too many bars and patrons were breaking the rules, overwhelming his department’s inspectors.
“This was more than we could keep up with,” Mr Beshears said.
He said people got tired of being cooped up and maybe thought the threat of coronavirus had lessened because news coverage shifted to the protests caused by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
“People in general just wanted to get out and experience a normalcy,” he said. He said there was no timetable for rescinding the order.
More than 24,000 new cases have been reported statewide since last Saturday, more than a fifth of the 111,724 cases confirmed in the state since March 1. The death toll climbed on Friday to 3,366, a one-day increase of 39.
Governor Ron DeSantis said yesterday that he still did not plan to issue a statewide order requiring masks, saying this was best handled at the county and city level.
Miami, other cities and several counties including Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Orange are requiring masks in public places.
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Cold enough to make lawyers put their hands in their own pockets.
Last month the number of rough sleepers soared to a shameful new high of 184 because of government housing policy.
Are there sufficient emergency beds for every one of those people tonight.
If not and god forbid if any should die in the cold on the streets over the coming days, then it is only right that Socky Varadkar and Eoghan ‘Poshboy’ Murphy be charged with manslaughter.
@Colin Morris: ridiculous that the winter plan begins in mid December. Government has a lot to answer for, banks too
@Colin Morris:
That’s very sad Colin, there is accommodation available for everybody.
I know a drunken bum barred for violence last week, And was accommodated immediately.
The rough sleepers may have unfortunate problems, preventing them to be easily looked after god help them.
@Benjamin Dolan: a drunken bum ??
That’s why man slaughter charges need to be pursued against Socky Varadkar and Poshboy Murphy if there are any preventable deaths of homeless people this year.
Their refusal to do their jobs is criminally negligent.
Winter is coming!
@Jon Snow: You know nothing, Jon Snow…
A mother polar bear and its cub are on an ice floe ,The cub asks of Mother “Mum ,what kind of bear am I ,am I a grizzly bear.or a Kodiak bear ? Mum what kind of bear am I ?,The exasperated mother looks down at the cub and says “son you are Polar bear.but why ask ?”and the cub replies ,because I am f:%%|ng freezing.
It is absolutely freezing when I wake up in the morning. Can only go for short cycles as well as it is so cold.
have your say