DeSantis Rejects White House Call For Coronavirus Restrictions

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Gov. Ron DeSantis isn't budging from keeping Florida completely open after a White House panel suggested Florida should implement stricter COVID-19 restrictions.

DeSantis held a news conference at a steakhouse in West Palm Beach on Tuesday and praised restaurant staff across the state for their hard work. He reassured the industry Florida will not close or put bans on restaurants and bars as the number of positive coronavirus cases across the state continues to spike.

As of Tuesday, the Florida Department of Health reported a total of 1,143,794 cases in the Sunshine State since March. Cases climbed by 9,411 since the previous day's reporting. The total number of hospitalizations is 58,612.

"We've got your back if you're a waitress or a cook or a family-owned business," DeSantis said. "You're an important part of our state. You're working folks who are working hard to make a living. You have every right to do that, and you can take it to the bank — in the state of Florida, you're going to have that right defended by the governor."

Many employees from the steakhouse and surrounding restaurants spoke at the conference expressing gratitude to the governor for keeping restaurants open. A single mother who is an employee at the Okeechobee Steakhouse where DeSantis spoke thanked him for keeping restaurants open.

"Single mom of two kids, no other income coming," she said. "Very blessed to have Gov. DeSantis keeping us open. I would have lost everything, so I'm a blessed mother. And I just hope that we can still stay open and, you know, everybody do what they're supposed to do. If you're sick, stay home. If you want to come out, we are here for you and we are 100 percent committed."

Tuesday is the second day COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered in the state. DeSantis said Florida will receive 205,000 Moderna vaccines next week and 162,000 at the end of December.

Pinellas County has 38,457 positive cases, according to the FDOH. Hillsborough has 66,548 cases; Polk has 31,668 cases; Pasco has 18,190 cases; Sarasota has 16,031 cases; Manatee has 19,212 cases; and Dade has 261,758 cases.