Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and medical experts work on specifics for Phase 2 of State's re-opening plan

Governor Ron DeSantis’ order allows Miami-Dade to re-open certain entertainment venues

MIAMI ( September 11, 2020 ) —

On Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami-Dade County to announce that Miami-Dade and Broward counties may now enter Phase 2 of the State of Florida’s re-opening plans.

The Governor continues to allow South Florida counties flexibility to determine the specific parameters of these re-openings, based on CDC gating criteria and the recommendations of local medical experts working in close collaboration with elected officials.

“I am pleased that Governor DeSantis’ order gives us the flexibility we need to continue ensuring the health and safety of everyone in our community, since different regions of the state have had very different outcomes for the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “On Monday, my staff and I plan to meet with our local medical experts who have guided us along our path to recovery in order to determine the details of how this phase of the state re-opening will unfold in our County.”

While Phase Two of Florida’s plan allows for the re-opening of bars, they will not be reopening in Miami-Dade at this time.

Miami-Dade will be considering the re-opening of certain entertainment businesses with limited capacity and under New Normal rules, such as movie theaters and arcades, based on the gating criteria and the local medical experts’ recommendations for their safe re-opening.

“Miami-Dade’s COVID-19 numbers have improved dramatically in the past month,” Mayor Gimenez said. “Everything is heading in the right direction, from the steady decline in our positivity rates to the decrease in the number of hospital patients.

“As always, we are following the science of this deadly virus to determine how to keep our community healthy. In the week ahead, consultation with our local medical experts will enable us to decide what easing of restrictions we can safely allow.”

For the most recent updates on the situation, go to miamidade.gov/coronavirus.