CAPE CORAL, Fla -- Governor Ron DeSantis has officially issued an executive order regarding the phase one re-opening of Florida.
There's a lot to break down when it comes to what this new order entails.
Effective Monday for all Florida counties except Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, here's a break down of what phase one changes fo businesses:
Restaurants can re-open indoor and outdoor seating, so long as there's appropriate social distancing. Indoor seating will be limited to 25% capacity.
Retail stores, museums and libraries may also open at 25% capacity. Again, so long as CDC guidelines are followed.
Museum and library re-openings will vary depending on local government. Regardless, all interactive functions like play areas must remain closed.
The executive order does not change anything when it comes to the following:
- bars
- pubs
- nightclubs
- gyms
- movie theaters
The governor says he's also waiting to see how salons and barbershops in other states work out the challenges of social distancing.
Switching gears to medical procedures, phase one will allow elective surgeries to resume. Which is something many were desperately hoping for.
That's just the start of what this executive order entails.
During news conference where details were announced Wednesday, DeSantis became noticeably choked up while acknowledging how difficult the social distancing and quarantine measures in place have been on Floridians. Saying that includes his own family, who hasn't even been able to meet his newborn baby because of the pandemic.
"Since she was born and the last couple weeks, it's occurred to me none of my family has seen her. She's not been held by a single person in any of our families," he said.
"If there was some magic switch I could flip and say everything's fine I would do it. It just doesn't work that way, but we need to get there. And I'd like to get in the situation where her grandparents can come see her," he added.
DeSantis said there will be three phases to re-opening Florida.
