PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Vice-president Mike Pence and Gov. Ron DeSantis met Friday on the coronavirus fight and an effort to keep our state safe. There are four people suspected of having the coronavius in Florida. The details revealed during a visit by the vice president who is leading the White House Corona Task Force.
“There are 15 individuals who have tested to date who are negative and there are currently there are four individuals who are under investigation,” said Dr. Scott A. Rivkees, Florida Surgeon General.
The vice-president’s arrival in Florida comes the same week the president said whatever is appropriate will be spent and done to combat the coronavirus.
“The truth is that we would be in a very different place if the president hadn’t taken the unprecedented action of suspending travel from China,” said Pence.
Since the outbreak, the Trump administration established travel restrictions, instituted a quarantine effort, declared a public health emergency and established the White House Corona Task Force. The White House is also working with Congress to secure $2.5-billion in funding and a federal supplemental bill through Congress to compensate states.
“We’re going to make sure that states like Florida and your local health officials have the resources to be able to be prepared for any eventuality,” said Pence.
Gov. DeSantis is now asking the vice-president for support for local testing and protective equipment for citizens.
“Everyone that’s been tested in Florida we’ve had to send the sample to the CDC in Atlanta. We would like to be able to do that locally,” said DeSantis.
Gov. DeSantis is also considering travel restrictions to Florida airports.
“I think it’s appropriate to do some of the travel restrictions that they did from Hubay Province - if you look at some places in South Korea, if you look at some places in Italy. Taking those measures I think could help interrupt the spread,” DeSantis said.
Approximately 150 people in Florida are also self-isolated having traveled to China. There are still no confirmed cases to report.
To learn more about state effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, click here.
