Statements
Statement by FDP Spokesman José Dante Parra on Florida Leading the Nation in Pediatric COVID Hospital Admissions on Tuesday Aug. 3rd
On Tuesday August 3rd, 2021 the State of Florida reported the highest number of pediatric COVID hospital admissions in the nation. On that day alone 46 children with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Florida hospitals and an additional 22 were hospitalized with suspected cases. Moreover a Miami Herald analysis found that the sharpest increase over the past month has been seen among Florida kids younger than 12.
This news comes as parents and students across the state are preparing for the beginning of the school year, which in many Florida counties begins next week.
In response to this development, Florida Democratic Party Spokesperson José Dante Parra issued the following statement:
“Tuesday’s high rate of pediatric COVID-19 admissions is frightening news as Florida parents and their children are about to embark on a new school year. Our focus should be on how to keep kids and their families safe as virus cases continue to increase while students prepare to return to classrooms across the state.
“Unfortunately, these children will likely be returning to unnecessarily hazardous environments because, in the middle of an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases, the Governor decided to prohibit school districts from adopting public health precautions to slow down the rate of infections.
“Governor DeSantis’s unconscionable irresponsibility on this matter simply cannot be overstated. The science is clear: masks help to slow the spread of COVID-19. His decision to forbid school districts from requiring the use of masks is cruel and outrageous, especially as it pertains to children under 12 years of age, who are not currently eligible for vaccination.
“DeSantis’s move, designed to appeal to radical anti-mask extremists in his own party as he pursues a presidential run in 2024, has shown Floridians how twisted his priorities are. In the Governor’s mind, his political ambitions outweigh the health and lives of our state’s children.”