Jacksonville, FL — Gov. Ron DeSantis said most of Florida will be able to enter phase one of reopening as of May 4, except for the three counties with the most cases in South Florida. “We need to focus on facts and not fear,” DeSantis said in a news conference discussing his plan for reopening Florida Wednesday evening.
DeSantis said phase one means elective surgeries can resume, and restaurants can do outdoor seating with 6 feet between tables and 25% capacity indoors with 6-foot spacing. He said retail can reopen as well with 25% capacity.
Schools, bars, gyms and personal services like salons will remain closed under phase one.
The governor is being more cautious than the recommendations given to him by a task force he established to make suggestions on reopening business. The governor specifically excluded hard-hit, heavily populated Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, saying their businesses will begin phase one when it is safer. Local governments will be allowed to have more restrictive policies than the state.