53% of Floridians Worried of Catching COVID-19

A new survey conducted by MoneyWise Florida shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is still heavily impacting Americans. 40% of Floridians interviewed noted that they were still financially struggling as a result of the pandemic, and the survey comes at a time when lawmakers still find themselves gridlocked in terms of coming to an agreement on a COVID-19 relief bill.

In the survey, 53% of Americans indicated that getting COVID-19 is the top worry that they face followed by 44% saying financial concerns and 40% noting that not seeing family members is a worry.

In response to the survey, Florida’ Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis released a statement, commenting that “the COVID-19 pandemic has brought enormous financial challenges to millions of Florida families and businesses and we must work together to provide important guidance on ways Floridians can navigate this prolonged period of financial uncertainty.”

Patronis asserted that “since the pandemic began, I have been advocating for Floridians by raising awareness and encouraging Legislators to take action to protect our small businesses to ensure Florida’s economy gets back on its feet.”

With the findings presented, Patronis noted that they “confirm the need to continue to provide Floridians with comprehensive resources and tools to help them navigate financial challenges,” adding that he has “no doubt that through it all, Florida families and businesses are resilient, and we are in this together.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor DeSantis has discussed how Florida is prepared to further combat the pandemic. Last month, the Florida Governor announced that “since July, the state of Florida has been actively preparing and purchasing supplies to distribute safe and effective vaccines to hospitals across the state.” This includes 5 million needles, 5 million syringes, and 5 million alcohol swabs.