FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Labor Day crowds took over Fort Myers beach today. Many people came out to enjoy the sunshine and take part in some holiday weekend fun, but some worry the packed beaches and busy restaurants will renew the spread of the Coronavirus.
“There's a lot of social distancing, being out on the beach it’s easy to do that and also when we go into places people are putting their masks on. So there is a level of safety as we enter buildings,” said Mary Beth Cauturo.
According to the Florida Department of Health, yesterday marked the 24th straight day below 10% positivity in new cases.
At Mangorita's, owner Jacinta Ingream says she is taking precautions to protect her staff and customers ahead of the busy weekend.
“I’ve had the same staff since before cover and I have the same staff now, no one has been ill. So what we are doing is making sure things are clean definitely through Florida Health Code through regulations, we’ve been checked to make sure we are doing the proper thing. We’ll just take those steps and I think we will be good,” said Jacinta Ingream.
Ingream says getting back to business after the shutdown was tough, but she is making it work.
“We were closed for 2 months and we’ve been trying to make things work. May 1st we opened back up and we’ve been trying to make money and staff happy,” said Ingream.
One New Yorker visiting for Labor Day says he was pleasantly surprised getting off the plane.
“They’re still taking it seriously, but down here they make it sound really bad down here in Florida, but once you get here it doesn’t seem too bad. You go to restaurants, you wear a mask when you’re in front of other people if your social distancing, it’s really not that big of a deal,” said Marc Mosquera.
Mosquera from one hot spot to another, he’s going to remain safe.
“ I haven’t been sick, I’ve been in it from the beginning, I’ve been working as an essential worker at the post office. I wear a mask when I’m in front of other people, if I’m not, I’m social distancing everything is good. The same thing here hasn’t changed from New York to Florida, " said Marc Mosquera.
The CDC is urging all Americans to stay safe during the holiday and encourages everyone to follow precautions, including wearing masks in public.
