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‘This is inexcusable’: Crowded Florida beach amid coronavirus restrictions draws fierce reaction

March 17, 2020 | | Print Article
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Beachgoers of all ages were out in force in Florida on Monday at Clearwater Beach, despite the coronavirus outbreak.

Much to the chagrin of many.

Officials are recommending that people stay at home as much as possible in the days ahead, urging “social distancing” in hopes of checking the pandemic before it can get worse.

All across the country, restaurants and bars are being closed down, and all major sports have suspended operations. In a further effort to stem the spread of the virus, President Donald Trump tightened restrictions on Monday when he called trying to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.

But the message is not resonating in Clearwater Beach.

WFLA shared an overhead video of the crowded beach online, adding: “Clearwater Beach, Florida is PACKED today despite ‘social distancing’ recommendations.”

For the record, as of Monday evening at 7 p.m., there were 142 cases of coronavirus in the state, according to the Florida Department of Health — the Florida population is 21.4 million.

Of those cases, the overwhelming majority coming from those who have traveled, or have been in contact with confirmed cases, there have been five deaths.

While some argue that the government response is an encroachment on civil liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, there is a state of emergence in effect, as Trump announced on Friday.

The latest figures show at least 4,661 confirmed cases in the country, as COVID-19 has reached 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. In the end, it will require a little sacrifice from all, as the president said Monday at a White House press briefing

“Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread and transmission of the virus,” Trump insisted. “If everyone makes this change or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation, and we will defeat the virus, and we’re going to have a big celebration altogether. With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner and turn it quickly.”

The reaction online was pretty intense, though there was some disagreement on whether these are Floridians or out-of-state tourists:

Here’s a sampling of other responses from Twitter:

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