In response to President Trump’s indoor, maskless rally in Florida, Protect Our Care’s Coronavirus War Room Director Zac Petkanas released the following statement:
“Just weeks after he was hospitalized for the virus, Donald Trump is yet again showing his blatant disregard for human life as he heads to his indoor, maskless super-spreader Florida rally with the most vulnerable population in America: senior citizens.
“Within two minutes of getting off the plane, Trump was already interacting with Floridians without social distancing or a mask.
“The Trump campaign seems to be weighing a morbid question – how many Florida voters’ lives can they gamble away to give their boss the feel-good rally he wants?”
[Twitter, @GeorffRBennett, 10/16/20]
[Twitter, @markknoller, 10/16/20]
Background: President Trump And Ron DeSantis Have Failed To Protect Florida’s Seniors
- By October 16, More Than 700,000 Floridians Have Been Infected And More Than 15,000 Have Died From COVID-19. “Florida reported an increase of 3,449 cases of COVID-19 on Friday, along with 94 additional resident deaths. The state is now up to 748,437 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 15,830 resident deaths, according to the health department’s dashboard. At least 200 non-residents have also died in Florida, and the state has reported 46,862 hospitalizations attributed to the novel coronavirus since the start of the outbreak.” [Local10, 10/16/20]
- 93 Percent Of Florida’s Coronavirus Deaths Have Been Among People 55 And Older. “States like Florida have been hit hard by the pandemic, and no other demographic has been affected more than older folks. About 93 percent of Florida’s 13,600 deaths from the virus have been people 55 and older.” [Associated Press, 9/25/20]
- The Death Rate In Florida Nursing Homes Over A Four-Week Average Ending Late September Exceeded The National Average. “A national COVID-19 ‘dashboard’ released Wednesday by AARP shows that the death rate of Florida nursing-home residents over a recent four-week period exceeded the national average. The AARP online site, which looks at nursing-home data for four weeks ending Sept. 20, shows that 1.38 of every 200 nursing home residents in Florida died from COVID-19. Nationally, about one out of every 200 nursing home residents died from COVID-19.” [Daytona Beach News-Journal, 10/15/20]
- Cases In Florida Have Risen By More Than 20 Percent Since The Beginning Of October, As Hospitalizations Are Once Again Increasing. “New cases of the virus are rising in [Florida] once again, as they are across the country. For the first time since summer, there is now a noticeable statewide increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations… During the week ending Oct. 6, Florida counted about 2,200 new cases of the virus every day, the lowest mark since mid-June. Since then, however, every single day has brought that number up (ignoring Saturday, when the state declined to report any cases following a data issue). Thursday’s count of 3,356 new cases was the highest number in nearly a month, and the average for the week ending that day was over 2,700. That average is more than 20 percent higher than it was at the beginning of October.” [Tampa Bay Times, 10/16/20]
- Infectious Disease Specialist Mike Osterholm Warned That Florida Could Soon Be Like A “House On Fire.” “[Trump] heads to Florida after University of Minnesota infectious disease specialist Mike Osterholm warned Friday on CNN that the Sunshine State could soon be like a ‘house on fire’ after dropping most precautions needed to quell the spread of the virus. The state added 5,000 new cases over the weekend. Trump’s rallies are habitually packed and feature little mask-wearing in violation of his own government’s guidelines. At least nine people who attended a Trump rally in Minnesota last month have tested positive.” [CNN, 10/12/20]
- On September 25, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Once Again Lifted Restrictions In The State — Days Before A Spike In New Cases. “Florida reported a spike in new coronavirus cases [Sept. 29], just days after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order allowing restaurants and bars to operate at full capacity. New cases surged to 3,266 from the 738 reported Monday, according to the state’s health department. That’s the highest one-day number since September 19. DeSantis lifted restrictions on bars and residents [Sept. 25], and scenes of crowded bars and restaurants played out around the state over the weekend.” [CNN, 9/29/20]