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Gov. Ron DeSantis requests Major Disaster Declaration from president in response to coronavirus
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has sent a letter to President Trump requesting that he declare a Major Disaster amid the coronavirus outbreak.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has sent a letter to President Trump requesting that he declare a Major Disaster amid the coronavirus outbreak.
As of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, Florida has 1,227 confirmed cases and 17 deaths, according to the Florida Department of Health.
In his letter, the governor is asking for the following programs under the Individual Assistance: Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Community Disaster Loans and the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Program.
On Monday, DeSantis said he is issuing an executive order that would require mandatory 14-day self-isolation for anyone traveling to the Sunshine State from the New York City area.
"I would reckon given the outbreak there that every single flight has someone on it who has COVID-19," Desantis told reporters.
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The governor said he is concerned about the number of daily flights from New York to Florida, saying he believes people may be fleeing the "shelter in place" order there.
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However, DeSantis said he is not planning to issue a "shelter in place" order for the Sunshine State. Citing a number of counties in northwest Florida with little to no known cases of coronavirus, DeSantis said such an order "would be a very blunt instrument" that would throw residents' lives "into potential disarray."
"If you look at Florida's situation right now, this is not a virus that is impacting every corner of the state," he told reporters.
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