Florida Continues to Report Fewer Cases of Coronavirus than Blue New York

Florida continues to report fewer new cases of the Chinese coronavirus than New York State, despite the absence of lockdowns or a statewide mask mandate, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows.

The CDC’s March 19 data shows Florida reporting 143.5 cases per 100,000, or 30,820 cases total, in the last seven days.

As Breitbart News has observed, CDC data routinely separates New York City’s data from the remainder of the Empire State. Even so, both areas, taken separately, exceed Florida in new cases per capita in the last seven days. New York State, excluding the city, reported 212.1 cases per 100,000, or 23,450 cases total, in the last seven days. New York City has reported 238 cases per 100,000, or 19,985 cases, in the same time period. Combined, New York State has reported over 12,600 more cases than Florida in the last seven days alone. Florida has also reported fewer deaths per capita than New York State as a whole throughout the pandemic, per CDC data.

Critics have continued to batter the Florida governor for refusing to embrace long-lasting lockdown measures, despite the data suggesting Florida’s coronavirus policy has not led to greater case spread.

DeSantis Thursday, flanked by experts who praised the tactics his state embraced in response to the virus, also took a hardline stance against the prospect of vaccine passports, vowing they will not be used in the Sunshine State.

Watch: 

Office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

“The vaccine passport is a terrible idea. We are definitely not going to require anything from the state’s perspective. That is totally off the table,” DeSantis said, describing it as a “negative” move, particularly for society and the disadvantaged. “If I have businesses that want to do that in Florida, I think that that’s more than just a private decision.”

“So what form that would take, I’d have to discuss it with my folks. I’d have to discuss it potentially with the legislature. But I think it’s a very, very bad idea,” he continued.

“Look, if you want to go to a movie theater or concert, all this stuff, go. If you don’t, don’t. But to require somebody to show some type of proof of vaccination, I think, is completely unacceptable, and it’s not something that we’re going to support here in any way in Florida,” DeSantis promised.