With the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and other state and local health agencies announcing that Florida has the lowest COVID rate in the nation, Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared to take a victory lap over the announced statistics, a move that flipped out Progressive Democrats like Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith.
"34 days ago, @FLSurgeonGen signed a rule that empowered FL parents, eliminated healthy quarantines & kept healthy kids in school. Now, FL has the lowest COVID rate in the nation, our schools had a 76% decrease in cases since the rule became effective & a 90% decrease since August," tweeted Gov. DeSantis.
In turn, Rep, Smith, who has been a sharp critic of DeSantis has even sued the administration for "refusing to lawfully comply with my public records request for critical COVID-related public health data," quotes Orlando Sentinel Columnist Scott Maxwell from on his anti-DeSantis columns.
"DeSantis touted one week’s data and decided to claim credit for “the lowest case rate in the nation.” "It's like hearing a kid with a D-average claim he’s the smartest kid in class after posting a single A and still having a D average," stated Maxwell.
Rep. Smith, who tends to make controversial and baseless accusations on a weekly basis, didn't stop there.
Smith added to his "doom and gloom" mindset as it relates to COVID in Florida, quoting Maxwell again about how "Florida still ranks in the worst 10 states."
"Florida still ranks in the worst 10 states for both COVID cases and deaths per capita for the entire pandemic." "Florida has the 9th highest per capita case count since the pandemic began, 22% higher than the national average...and the 10th highest per capita death rate," stated Smith.
Maybe because Florida is the 3rd most populated state in the nation?
This may be the case, but where is Maxwell getting his numbers?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "California, Florida, New Mexico, and Alabama all have death rates of less than 0.5 per 100,000 people."
"Florida still ranks in the worst 10 states for both COVID cases and deaths per capita for the entire pandemic."
"Florida has the 9th highest per capita case count since the pandemic began, 22% higher than the national average...and the 10th highest per capita death rate."
— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) October 30, 2021
