People literally ran onto the sand after state officials eased some measures for “essential activities,” including the opening of beaches.
Hundreds of people in the state of Florida (US) flocked to the beaches after the governor gave the green light to local authorities to open some resorts and parks. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus victims continues to rise, both locally and across the country, reports the Miami Herald.
At several Jacksonville beaches in Duval County, crowds were seen enjoying oceanfront walks this weekend. Police removed the barricades that blocked access for weeks on Friday afternoon and people literally ran to the sand.
The discontent of many with regard to a general closure has been increasing pressure on local authorities, who have considered relaxing some measures for “essential activities”. These include recreational activities with patterns of social distancing. “Do it safely,” stressed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Visitors enjoy Clearwater Beach, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Clearwater Beach, Fla. Beach goers are keeping a safe distance from each other to help protect from the spread of the Coronavirus. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Spas in Duval County have been reopened with limited hours and can only be used for physical activities such as walking, biking, or swimming from 6 to 11 in the morning and from 5 to 8 in the afternoon. However, many people chose to take a break in the sun.
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Meanwhile, around 25,500 covid-19 cases and 750 deaths have been confirmed across the state as of April 18. As a result, many users on social networks spoke out against the reopening of beaches, criticizing the authorities for being too lax with the necessary measures to deal with the pandemic.
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People walk along a Duval beach in Florida, USA. April 18, 2020. Sam Thomas / Reuters
While beaches and even golf courses may reopen, schools will remain closed until the end of the school year.
According to real-time statistics from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, the USA has are more than 730,000 cases of infections, and more than 38,000 deaths from the coronavirus.
Featured image: Edited image representing the risk of not respecting basic social distancing precautions, taken from the twiter account of Juan A. Rivera, @Boricua_En_Maui
Translated by JRE/EF
