SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. — While commissioners in Pinellas County decided Thursday to keep the beaches closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders in Duval County announced that beaches would reopen on Friday for exercise.
According to the city of Jacksonville, the beaches will reopen at 5 p.m., and will be restricted to essential activities only, as outlined by the governor’s executive order.
Walking, biking, hiking, fishing and running are a few of the approved activities. No sunbathing, blankets, towels or coolers will be allowed. After Friday, beaches will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
"What we're trying to do is maintain a scenario where we're not crowding the beach. We still have to be cognizant of the six-foot distance between people. The ten people gathering. And we're looking to keep people from just accumulating out here,” said Jacksonville Beach Mayor Charlie Latham.
And, Duval County isn't alone. St. Johns County beaches reopened Friday, too. Beachgoers will be able to use the beaches from 6 a.m. until noon for physical activity.
However, leaders in Pinellas County had a different perspective on Thursday. They decided to keep the beaches closed, saying the area will not even hit its peak for COVID-19 cases until April 26, and it’s too soon to talk about reopening.
“Pinellas made right decision yesterday to say we can't just open the beaches for a little bit of time because we know what's going to transpire. So, to be a little more patient and wait a couple more weeks will do everybody well and hopefully create a better health situation,” said 10News political expert Lars Hafner.
“We know there's hotspots in Florida, and if people think that they can leave those hotspots and go someplace that's open, it's a question mark of are we doing the right thing by piecemealing and opening up certain regions of the state when it really should be an entire state decision,” he said.
Hafner also said the reason there is no consistency across the state when it comes to beach policies is Gov. DeSantis.
"We don't have a governor that's leading the state,” he said. “He is very lackadaisical, and therefore inefficient about universal policies throughout the state. And this is allowing more local decisions, which in some cases is good, but as we know now, this virus does not know city or county lines.”
10News reached out to the governor's office for comment. We will update this story if we hear back.
Hafner also said the governor appears to be following the lead of President Trump, but suggested that the state consider regional coordination with other governors. "We're seeing governors working together in multiple states within a region,” he said. "It would serve us well to have a regional policy, because again, the virus doesn't know where county lines are. They've got to work together so that we can have an economic engine that's humming together when things open up."
Emerald Morrow is a reporter with 10News WTSP. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@wtsp.com.
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