Miami-Dade And Broward To Move Into Phase 2 Of Reopening

MIAMI, FL — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Miami-Dade and Broward County will move to phase 2 of their reopening next week.

"Effective Monday both Broward and Miami-Dade county will be moved into phase 2," DeSantis announced on the rooftop of the Frost Science Museum in downtown Miami. "It really clears the pathway for in-person instruction."

Miami-Dade and Broward are the last of Florida's 67 counties to move into phase 2. Along with nearby Palm Beach County, those three South Florida counties have been considered the epicenter of Florida's coronavirus outbreak.

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Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said entertainment venues would be among the next businesses to reopen amid limited capacity. He pointed to movie theaters and arcades.

"Let me be clear, Miami-Dade will not be opening up bars and nightclubs," the mayor stressed. "We're still not out of the woods yet."

Gimenez said the county had a daily positivity rate from the coronavirus of 6.3 percent as of Friday, which at one time hovered around 20 percent. He planned to meet with local medical experts on Monday.

Broward Mayor Dale Holness said additional openings are planned in his county in the coming weeks.

"Broward County retains the ability to close certain activities, however, there will be no change to how businesses are currently operating," he said. "Bars remain closed."

Florida's secretary of the Department of Business & Professional Regulation announced late Thursday he plans to allow bars in most parts of the state to reopen starting Monday at 50 percent capacity.

Miami-Dade School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the nation's fourth largest school system will make an announcement concerning the reopening of classrooms in the coming weeks.

"It opens the doors literally of a possibility of a return to schools," Carvalho said. "Parents will have a choice to continue distance learning."

Palm Beach County moved to phase 2 of its reopening on Tuesday and Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner said the designation allowed for the reopening of bowling alleys, escape rooms, movie theaters, play houses, skating centers, trampoline centers and other indoor entertainment venues.

Kerner said restaurants and food establishments would be able to operate at a greater capacity amid relaxed rules while retail establishments would be able to operate at full capacity as could museums and libraries as well as personal services, including massage parlors, body piercing, tattooing, licensed acupuncture, gyms and fitness centers.