People in Florida have to be happy that they have Republican governor Ron DeSantis at the helm during this coronavirus crisis. He managed to keep people in nursing homes safe and so far has piloted his state through the coronavirus crisis without losing too many Floridians or crushing his state’s economy. Sadly, people in New York cannot say the same about their governor, Democrat Andrew Cuomo.
Florida has close to 50,000 positive COVID-19 cases, and 2,200 deaths. New York has 361,515 positive cases and 23,391 deaths.
DeSantis posted the numbers for Florida:
For May 24, Florida reported over 41,000 test results with 997 positive tests for a statewide positivity rate of 2.5%.
Positivity rate for original Phase 1 counties: 1.98% pic.twitter.com/2P9ssPOOvF
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 25, 2020
Nursing homes in Florida
Over 20% of Floridians are seniors or one of every five people, or over 4 million Floridians. The only other state with more seniors is California, which is having the same troubles as every other state, with most of the coronavirus deaths in their nursing homes. According to the New York Post: Florida has roughly 350,000 residents and staff at more than 4,000 long-term-care facilities.
Florida seniors were safer because Governor DeSantis data from South Korea and Italy to decide how to handle seniors in Florida. The data revealed that the most vulnerable population was the elderly, particularly those over 80. So, DeSantis put measures in place to protect that population and used the state’s emergency infrastructure.
Because of frequent natural disasters, particularly hurricanes, the state has a robust emergency infrastructure including data collection. Using that system, DeSantis bolstered the nursing homes with PPE, testing, and monitoring of facilities. In the case of an outbreak in a nursing home, the infected were immediately isolated, If an HCP was infected, they were immediately sent home.
According to Click Orlando:
When a nursing home is found to have an outbreak, the state sends a health department team to work with the staff. The governor has also sent National Guard teams to nursing homes around the state to test employees and patients for the virus.
Results are in
Governor DeSantis made his own decisions about how to handle the crisis. But the mainstream media predicted doomsday for Florida and heaped opprobrium on him for putting his population at risk. In spite of the dire predictions, DeSantis forged ahead, giving counties flexibility in handling the coronavirus crisis, as most of the cases came from just three counties, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.
Florida is in much better shape than New York. In fact, though Florida and New York have roughly the same number of people, Florida has a little more than 2,000 deaths compared to New York’s almost 25,000 deaths. And in spite of the higher number of seniors in Florida, there were far fewer deaths in Florida nursing homes than in New York.
DeSantis explained how Florida operated during the coronavirus crisis:
We basically had businesses operating. We had the daycares open, we had recreation open, and my order never actually closed any businesses. We allowed them to operate within the context of just limiting contact between people outside the household.
DeSantis had a common-sense approach to lockdowns, concerned that they hadn’t been tried before and could be harmful to his state. He explained:
One of the things that bothered me throughout this whole time was, I researched the 1918 pandemic, ’57, ’68, and there were some mitigation efforts done in May 1918, but never just a national-shutdown type deal. There was really no observed experience about what the negative impacts would be on that.”
“So I was very concerned about things on that side as well, and I think that’s why I had a more nuanced and balanced approach than some of the other governors. Because you have some of these health officials saying, ‘You’ve got to do this. This is science,’ or whatever. But really, these were unchartered territories.”
Governor DeSantis showed true leadership in looking at the data, the CDC guidelines, the models, the projections, his state’s people and needs, and made decisions that benefitted the people of Florida and largely kept them safe. We need more governors like DeSantis.
Cuomo blames President Trump for nursing home deaths
Governor Andrew Cuomo, on the other hand, didn’t make good decisions for his state, and is now blaming President Trump for the nursing home deaths in his state, which are more than double the number in Florida, saying New York was following Trump’s policy on COVID-19 and nursing homes.
But the “Trump policy” is not the president’s policy, it is the CDC guidelines. The CDC did not mandate but rather set guidelines for managing COVID-19 in nursing homes, which governors then either implemented or not. The federal government paid for COVID-19 testing and labs.
According to CDC guidelines, COVID positive patients should only be allowed in nursing homes if the home could provide isolation, and dedicated staff to tend the COVID patients exclusively, among other things. But Cuomo went beyond the guidelines when he mandated by executive order, that nursing homes could not reject COVID positive patients.
Taking the time to read the CDC guidelines for nursing homes and COVID-19 will reveal if you have ever been to a nursing home, how hard it would be to meet the guidelines for managing coronavirus patients in a nursing home. The cleaning, the personal protective equipment, and the hourly crises that happen in nursing homes rules out the possibility of meeting the CDC guidelines. Some of the recommendations, e.g. isolation units and air exchange, would require infrastructure changes to facilities, which requires time. The virus does not wait while new infrastructure is being built.
Cuomo has said repeatedly that the most vulnerable population is the elderly, and then deliberately put them at risk, by ordering that no COVID positive patient could be turned away.
So, which governor really followed the CDC guidelines? Which governor is the hero?
Watch a Fox News report on Governor DeSantis’ lifesaving decisions:
1,126 Responses
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it?s rare to see a nice blog like this one these days..
This actually answered my downside, thank you!
Very nice post. I certainly love this website. Continue the good work!
Wonderful goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just extremely wonderful. I actually like what you’ve acquired here, really like what you are saying and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read much more from you. This is actually a terrific web site.
Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Finding the time and actual effort to generate a top notch articleÖ but what can I sayÖ I hesitate a lot and don’t manage to get anything done.
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your website offered us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our whole community will be thankful to you.
I really love your site.. Great colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself? Please reply back as I챠m hoping to create my own site and want to learn where you got this from or exactly what the theme is called. Thank you!
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
There’s definately a great deal to find out about this subject. I really like all the points you’ve made.
fantastic points altogether, you just gained a brand new reader. What would you suggest about your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?
I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my difficulty. You’re wonderful! Thanks!
What an amazing manner of looking at points.
Just bookmarked this article as I have found it quite practical.
Love the way you cover this topic.
I adore the manner you have actually ended this post …
Great info. Lucky me I discovered your site by chance (stumbleupon). I have bookmarked it for later!
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I?ll definitely comeback.
Terrific work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the web. Shame on Google for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my website . Thanks =)
I was very happy to find this great site. I wanted to thank you for ones time just for this fantastic read!! I definitely really liked every little bit of it and i also have you book marked to check out new stuff in your web site.
Excellent beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
Hi, i think that i saw you visited my weblog thus i came to ?return the favor?.I am attempting to find things to improve my site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
This is a very good tip especially to those new to the blogosphere. Simple but very precise information횜 Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read post!
I am really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it?s rare to see a great blog like this one these days..
Simply wish to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness on your submit is just spectacular and i can suppose you are knowledgeable in this subject. Fine along with your permission let me to seize your RSS feed to stay updated with drawing close post. Thank you 1,000,000 and please continue the rewarding work.
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I?ll try to get the hang of it!
This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your excellent post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks!
Hi my loved one! I want to say that this article is awesome, great written and come with almost all important infos. I would like to peer more posts like this .
Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is magnificent, as well as the content!
I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
Excellent post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely useful info specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot. I was looking for this particular info for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative. I?m gonna watch out for brussels. I?ll appreciate if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
What i don’t realize is in truth how you’re not actually much more smartly-appreciated than you may be now. You are very intelligent. You recognize therefore considerably relating to this matter, produced me individually consider it from a lot of various angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be involved until it is something to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your individual stuffs outstanding. At all times take care of it up!
I am really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it?s rare to see a nice blog like this one these days..
This blog was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped me. Kudos!