It’s time for a return to normality in the Sunshine State.
Beginning this weekend, the Governors of Georgia and South Carolina—based on the most recent scientific data—are re-opening the economies of their States. Florida should safely follow our neighbor’s lead and do the same.
Like Georgia and South Carolina, Florida has passed the peak of COVID’s damage. According to models from The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Florida saw its peak in deaths on April 2 and its peak hospital resource usage on April 14. Like Georgia and South Carolina, we are on the downward trajectory of the fight against COVID. And it is time to respond to these facts appropriately.
Instead of sitting around for an indefinite period awaiting total COVID elimination—while our economy lays in shambles—we should begin the process of re-opening as soon as possible. The curve of the virus has been flattened and now it is time to do what’s right.
Florida should open all business establishments, including all retail and restaurants this weekend and people should be trusted to exercise the personal responsibility and social distancing that they have already been doing successfully. Business owners should, of course, follow CDC guidelines. Those who are elderly and those with pre-existing medical issues should remain at home. But the rest of us should return to work.
Each day Florida remains closed is another day that irreparable harm is caused to the working people of our State; small family-owned businesses lost forever. Each hour we remain shutdown furthers the massive blow to our state economy—not to mention the psychological damage that self-isolation has wrought.
Floridians want to work. I receive hundreds of questions from constituents asking when they can return to the workplace, and they are growing restless. Florida has long had a vibrant economy that has attracted people and capital from around the nation. We should again lead the nation by leading in the restoration of the post-COVID economy. The only way to do so is by opening up for business.
Despite the Congress borrowing $2.4 trillion dollars in the last few weeks to “stimulate” the economy, our economy will not work until we begin to work; it won’t move until we move. No act of appropriation will restart this economy until the restrictions on work and movement are lifted.
Now is the time.
Rep. Anthony Sabatini
Anthony Sabatini is a Republican member of the Florida Legislature that represents the state’s 32nd House district. He also serves in the Florida National Guard.
I wholeheartedly support Anthony Sabatini‘s commentary —-
‘Word for Word.’
This article reads as such:
“Some of you may die, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.”
Don’t listen to this tool, and vote him out when November comes around. He does not have the People’s best interest at heart.
Give people masks, and let them work.
Said the politician who cites not a single health expert. The time will come, but forcing it prematurely will simply lead to another setback. Until universal, fast testing becomes widely available, it would be foolish to talk about re-opening. That testing may be close – I thought Abbott Labs had created a 15 min test that works with their existing infrastructure. But until we’re ready, uninformed, partisan-motivated politicians are the last ones we need to hear from or listen to.