Florida, California see COVID-19 decline despite different approaches



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Florida and California have taken radically different approaches to tackling the spread of the coronavirus – but both states have seen key indicators improve in recent weeks.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has imposed stricter rules, recently imposing a statewide stay-at-home order on Dec. 3 that lasted the entire holiday season.

The ordinance, which was lifted on Jan. 25, went so far as to ban outdoor dining, beauty services and church services.

In the Sunshine State, by contrast, steps have been taken to ensure businesses stay open.

In September, Governor Ron DeSantis blocked local municipalities from implementing restrictions that would force restaurants and bars to operate at less than half of their capacity.

He also signed an executive order that barred companies from facing fines for defying orders related to COVID-19.

DeSantis argued Sunday that the state “is focused on uplifting people” while “lockdown states” “are bankrupting people.”

Beachgoers soak up the sun as temperatures soar in the mid-1980s in Lake Worth Beach, Fla. On Monday, February 15, 2021.
Beachgoers soak up the sun as temperatures soar through the mid-1980s in Lake Worth Beach, Fla. On Monday, February 15, 2021.
(Greg Lovett / The Palm Beach Post via AP)

“There’s a whole bunch of things we’re doing for COVID, but at the same time we’ve improved our condition, we’ve saved our economy, and I think we’ll be the first to come out once we’re able to put COVID on. behind the country, ”he told Maria Bartiromo on“ Sunday Morning Futures ”.

But despite varying approaches from the two states this winter, they yielded similar results.

Manhattan Beach in California looks like a ghost town compared to Florida - a diametrically different approach to the fight against COVID-19.
Manhattan Beach in California looks like a ghost town compared to Florida – a diametrically different approach to the fight against COVID-19.
Getty Images

Both states faced an increase in the number of cases around January 1, with the number of infections tending to drop a few weeks later.

They are now both seeing an average of between 200 and 400 cases per million people and have each reported declines in recent days, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

A sign indicating social distancing is displayed in a closed parking lot in Ocean Beach during the coronavirus outbreak in San Francisco.
A sign indicating social distancing is displayed in a closed parking lot in Ocean Beach during the coronavirus outbreak in San Francisco.
AP

Likewise, both states have also seen improvement with hospitalizations.

About a month ago, California reported a rate of 56 hospitalizations per 100,000 population, while Florida had a rate of 35, the data showed.

Now, the Golden State records 24 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, while Florida reports about 22, according to the data.

California currently leads the country in total cases, but has nearly double the number of Florida residents.

A Fort Lauderdale restaurant full of customers.
A Fort Lauderdale restaurant full of customers.
MediaPunch / BACKGRID

When the cases are adjusted for the population, their count is about the same.

California has recorded about 8,822 cases per 100,000 population, while Florida has about 8,508 for the same population, the data shows.

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