Florida COVID cases, death rate drop to among lowest levels in US
'Fox Across America' host Jimmy Failla with reaction on 'Fox & Friends First.'
The first hospital in the state of Florida to treat a coronavirus patient is now celebrating another first: No COVID patients in its care since the pandemic began.
"There's been a lot of progress done in a very short period of time. So it's a great thing for everybody," chief nursing officer of Doctor’s Hospital in Sarasota, Todd Haner, said at a press conference on Friday. "I can tell you that the morale is much better."
Doctor's Hospital in Sarasota, FL (Google Maps)
Doctor’s Hospital had the first COVID-19 patient in the state back in February 2020 and has been treating virus patients since. But last week, that all changed when the hospital reported not having a single COVID patient.
FLORIDA COVID CASES, DEATH RATE AMONG LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY
"I think when this started and we got the first patient, we didn't know what to expect," Haner said. "As we moved forward and we saw what was happening, it became very stressful."
"We're going to celebrate what we have right now. We don't know what the future holds, but we'll deal with it when it comes," he added.
Patient in hospital bed. (iStock)
"This is great news! For two weeks and counting, Florida has had the lowest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the entire country – with no mandates, vaccine passports, or lockdowns. Overall, COVID hospitalizations have been declining for more than 70 days straight, and we’re at an all time low in terms of the number of COVID patients hospitalized statewide," Gov. Ron DeSantis' press secretary, Christina Pushaw, told Fox News when approached for comment about Doctor's Hospital.
"Governor DeSantis is proud of Florida’s success with launching monoclonal antibody treatment sites throughout the state, which made a huge impact on lowering hospitalizations and saving lives. Early treatment – getting the monoclonal antibodies as soon as possible after testing positive or experiencing symptoms – cuts the risk of hospitalization by 70% or more," Pushaw added.
Florida has faced continued scrutiny from liberals and health officials for DeSantis banning face mask mandates in schools, issuing a vaccine mandate ban on businesses, and reopening the state last year, among other policies.
DESANTIS: WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING OUT-OF-STATE POLICE OFFICERS OUT OF JOB DUE TO VACCINE MANDATES
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, at the Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The state of Florida is suing the Biden administration over its coronavirus vaccine mandate for federal contractors. The lawsuit was announced Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021 by Gov. DeSantis and opened yet another battleground between the Republican governor and the White House. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, file)
DeSantis’ coronavirus response has stood in stark contrast to Democrat-controlled states such as California. But now, California has double the COVID-19 case rate than Florida, the Tampa Bay Times reported Sunday.
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"The fact is, policies – whether they're lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine mandates – those do not actually make a difference in terms of COVID prevalence. But what a governor can make a difference in is protecting individual rights," Pushaw told Fox News last month of Florida’s falling case and death rate following the surge in delta variant cases earlier this year.
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