Governor DeSantis Declares State of Emergency

The Coronavirus continues to spread throughout the globe, and now it’s found its way to sunny south Florida (it was inevitable). Now, people have been rushing to supermarkets, purchasing masks, hand sanitizer and spreading the fear of the growing epidemic.

As a result, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) issued Executive Order 20-52, which declared a State of Emergency in response to the Coronavirus disease.

With the declared State of Emergency, it “establishes a unified command structure and designates the Director of the Division of Emergency Management as the State Coordinating Officer and the State Surgeon General as the Deputy State Coordinating Officer and State Incident Commander.”

Moreover, with the Executive Order, Governor DeSantis can “direct funds as necessary for critical supplies, equipment, and personnel needs.”

In addition, it will allow “out-of-state medical professionals to practice in Florida for the duration of the order and permits pharmacists to prescribe up to a 30-day emergency refill of prescription drugs as needed.”

While speaking to reporters on the Capitol, DeSantis was clear in his approach to combating the Coronavirus, arguing that the Executive Order “allows us to create a unified command structure. It also allows if need be, out-of-state medical personnel to operate in Florida.”

And, when suggesting how people can take care of themselves during this time, DeSantis explained that "if you're elderly or you have a serious, underlying medical condition, don't get on a cruise ship right now. Don't get on a long flight where you could get exposed to the virus."