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Almost a year since COVID-19 first hit the United States, California and Florida – both of which have responded to the pandemic in their own way – are showing very different results.
Florida, which has been more open and less restricted than its west coast counterpart, has recorded just over 1.5 million cases. Yet California, despite being among the toughest in the country on COVID lockdowns, has recorded nearly double that number since the start of the pandemic.
FILE: A healthcare worker cares for a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center during the coronavirus pandemic in San Jose, California.
(AP)
Although Florida has a smaller population than California, the two states have roughly the same number of cases per 100,000 population.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has faced harsh criticism for his strict handling of the coronavirus. During 2020, he ordered the closure of bars, indoor restaurants, and other businesses in counties above a certain threshold of COVID-19 cases.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, however, took a different approach. Although he took similar action at Newsom at the start of the pandemic, he allowed bars and restaurants to open by June. A few months later, he lifted more statewide economic restrictions and banned law enforcement from fining people who don’t wear masks.
In October, DeSantis said statewide school closures due to the coronavirus are not a viable option and “should be irrelevant.”
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Meanwhile, most of California’s 6 million public school students have been learning remotely since the pandemic began in March. Last month, the Democratic governor announced a $ 2 billion plan to push schools across the state to allow their youngest students to return to class in February.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths in Florida – at 110 per 100,000 population – exceeded those in California, at 81 per 100,000 population. The higher numbers, however, may reflect Florida’s older population.
Still, CDC data shows that California’s death rate is gaining ground in Florida, with a daily seven-day average death rate of 1.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 per 100,000 people in Florida. And on Saturday, positive tests in California are also higher with 105 new cases per 100,000 to 64 per 100,000 in Florida.
California took a dark step this week, with nearly 3 million cases of the coronavirus. Death from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County – an epicenter of the US pandemic – affects about one person every six minutes.
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California’s hospitalization rates also surpassed Florida, at 56 per 100,000 population, compared to about 36 per 100,000 population.
Fox News has reached out to Newsom’s team to comment on the stark differences.
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