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Miami Beach is under a triple threat.
This is how its mayor, Democrat Dan Gelber, sees it, for whom this triple threat is constituted by the number of visitors arriving for spring break (the spring break so popular among young Americans), the crowds in the streets and the pandemic. of covid-19.
Health experts have also sounded the alarm the images of beaches and bars full of young people celebrating without masks and without maintaining a social distance, as if there was no more pandemic.
They fear that within a few weeks there will be another spike in infections, which were down in Florida, and warn of the risk of new variants of the virus appearing and spreading which can be highly transmissible.
“Responsible Vacation” is the motto of the city of Miami Beach for spring break.
“We are very concerned,” Dr Jos Gonzales, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Miami, told BBC Mundo.
“We must emphasize the need to observe precautionary measures, such as the use of a mask and the maintenance of distance.”
In addition to the sanitary situation alarm, the alert for acts of violence which have led to more than 100 arrests and seizures of firearms in recent days and which have increased the number of police on the streets, especially in the tourist district of South Beach.
The local government has increased the deployment of police to Miami Beach during the break weeks.
For the people of Miami Beach, the story of the chaos and lack of control that lives on these days is repetitive, with scenes that may well match those of other years.
For visitors, especially those who reside in cold places, South Florida remains a ideal and easily accessible destination through cheap plane tickets.
“We’re just coming here to have a good time, we don’t want any problems,” says Shafal, a young man from the Bronx in New York who has just arrived in the city.
Health experts are concerned about the lack of precautionary measures on the part of travelers visiting Miami Beach.
And for the local government, which recognizes that the city’s economy is closely linked to tourism and hospitality, the situation is presented as a puzzle in which to integrate and meet the needs of all.
As before the pandemic
The arrival period for springbreakers in Florida is from late February to mid-April.
Travelers have been coming and going for several weeks.
But these days, the influx of visitors is most noticeable, not only on the beaches, but in the streets and restaurants of South Beach and other areas further north.
To the alarm of the health situation is added the alert to acts of violence.
Last Saturday, for example, traffic jams in the North Beach neighborhood, queues at supermarkets and the number of people on terraces and inside the premises were virtually the same as before the arrival of the coronavirus. .
For the owners of the North Beach Juice & Coffee Bar, this is all good news.
“We understand the concern of the authorities”, they tell us, “but in the hotel industry We’ve had a really bad year and now we’re starting to see the light“.
“We ask our customers to wear a mask and we follow all sanitary recommendations. But the economy is also very important.”
The governor’s bet
It is precisely the economy which was the big bet of the governor of Florida, the Republican Ron DeSantis, who, on September 25 reopened the state and lifted health restrictions.
DeSantis banned city and state county governments from imposing fines for not wearing masks or respecting social distancing, which Miami Beach had done.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis believes his coronavirus strategy is successful.
Months after this controversial decision, the governor refers to the state’s economic data to argue that he did the right thing:
- the unemployment is less than 5% (in April 2020 it was over 13%)
- restaurants and bars are operating at almost the same level as before the coronavirus
- the occupancy rate of hotels is 20% lower than normal, a figure which indicates the resumption of one of the sectors most affected by the closures of the first months of the pandemic
All of this, DeSantis surmises, as the rate of coronavirus infections and deaths remains lower than other states that have implemented restrictive measures.
That self-confidence is one of the biggest risks, says Gonzales.
“We know that the numbers are dropping in Florida,” he admits, “but the presence of all these people without a mask and without keeping their distance is a way of looking for trouble.”
“Having all of these people together increases the possibility that the virus will spread again and the cases will increase.”
Like other cities across the country, Miami has sped up the covid-19 vaccination process.
It is still too early to know if this increase will occur, which we will learn in the coming weeks.
The expert recalls that the danger is not only in Florida: all these visitors They will return to their usual place of residence where they can infect their family and friends.
Right to have fun
The young people who take to the streets of Miami Beach these days, many of whom have arrived recently with their suitcases and peering at cellphones for where they need to go, don’t want to be held responsible for a possible new wave.
Miami Beach is one of the most popular destinations during spring break.
“It’s my vacation and I’m here to get drunk and have some fun,” says an excited Shafal as he waits on a bench with a friend to enter the AirBnB apartment they’ve booked.
“I am not at all worried about the coronavirus. I will be here for four days,” he exclaims while dancing.
A few feet away, two young men Lisa and Kate from Minnesota eagerly watch a game of volleyball on the beach.
They specify, almost offended, that they are not here “spring break”, perhaps aware of the media attention that there is on this phenomenon.
Beyond the qualification given to them, the truth is that they are in Miami Beach, on vacation, for a week, and they are also not worried about the pandemic.
It is mid-morning and you still don’t see the footage that has been circulating on social media of crowds in bars or on the streets blocking the flow of traffic and jumping on police cars.
Curfew
Bars are particularly dangerous places, warn experts. Not only are they usually too crowded, but there is often a lot of noise inside causing people to scream and increase the spread of the virus.
What many visitors don’t know is that the curfew is still in effect and all sites close at midnight.
In Miami Beach, the midnight curfew and restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages remain in effect.
“Don’t be silly. Don’t come here if you think this is a go-anywhere place. We will arrest you and it will ruin your time here,” said the mayor of Miami Beach.
For some residents, the situation is reaching such a limit that they demand that radical measures be taken immediately, even if this is detrimental to tourism.
“Let the word spread that everything closes at 12 o’clockSays Phil, a South Beach resident, who tells us that this is the first time in 14 years that he has considered leaving Miami.
Tourism is by far Florida’s main industry. In 2018, it generated over US $ 91 billion to the state.
“The national story is that Florida is open and anything is possible. Some are surprised to learn that there is a 12 o’clock curfew. They can’t party until 4 o’clock in the morning like before. It affects our tourism economy because of some Let it be so. What affects our reputation? Let it be so, “he defends himself indignantly.
For Colleen, another neighbor in the area, one has to assume that visitors will arrive “no matter what.”
“Most of them come just to have fun, there are a few rioters. But we made them take to the streets, partly it’s our fault,” he thinks, referring to the closure of the premises.
For experts and authorities, the influx of travelers at this time of year is almost inevitable.
Faced with this argument that the arrival of travelers is inevitable, the infectious disease specialist at the University of Miami recalls the importance of not relaxing the precautionary measures, even if they are not required by law.
“I know there are no restrictions in restaurants and other places, but you have to be aware, wear a mask, keep a distance of two or three meters and avoid crowds,” he concludes.
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