Florida Democratic Party Chair Rizzo Calls Again For DeSantis to Issue Statewide Stay-At-Home Order

Gov. Ron DeSantis today issued a four-county “safer-at-home” order covering counties in Southeast Florida that are hardest hit so far by Covid-19. Speaking at a news conference at a drive-through testing site at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, DeSantis announced that he would sign an order urging residents of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe Counties to stay at home until at least mid-May.

Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo previously called for the governor to issue a statewide stay-at-home order. She said the governor’s action is a step in the right direction, but it still does not go far enough, given the serious exponential threat posed by the coronavirus and resulting Covid-19 illness:

“By issuing this order, Gov. DeSantis is signaling to all of us that the deadly threat we are facing is real and demands serious behavior modification. It is misleading to suggest that this threat will only affect Southeastern Florida and that the rest of the state should not also stay at home to flatten the curve of transmission, especially in a state with such a high number of elderly residents who are at greater risk of serious complications or death,” Rizzo said.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the state’s highest-ranking Democratic official, called on DeSantis to issue a statewide order ten days ago.