Florida and the pandemic DeSantis criticized form
Post# of 27046
DeSantis criticized former President Donald Trump’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and accused him of “turning over the government” to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022. He then claimed it was Florida that “dragged this country out of lockdown,” adding, “We made sure schools were open; we made sure businesses were open.”
Facts First: DeSantis’ claim is misleading at best. Before he became a vocal opponent of pandemic restrictions, DeSantis imposed significant restrictions on individuals, businesses and other entities in Florida in March 2020 and April 2020; some of them extended months later. He did then open up the state, with a gradual phased approach, but he did not keep it open from the start.
DeSantis received criticism in March 2020 for what some critics perceived as a lax approach to the pandemic, which intensified as Florida beaches were packed during Spring Break. But that month and the month following, DeSantis issued a series of major restrictions.