Coronavirus Impact: Re-Open Florida Task Force Discusses First Steps To Open Businesses Across State
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) – The Re-Open Florida Task Force discussed some first steps to eventually open businesses across the state again amid the coronavirus outbreak.
According to the Florida Chamber Foundation, about 3.5 million jobs are at risk here in Florida, due to the close proximity in which they are performed.
Among the jobs most at risk are food, tourism, retail, recreation and transportation.
The first subcommittee group meeting took place over the phone Tuesday, focusing on three key areas: tourism, restaurants and hotels.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said it is a matter of looking at what jobs can be done safely right now.
"I'm less concerned going forward about 'essential' and 'non-essential' distinction, but trying to have as much low-risk activity as possible," the governor explained on the conference call.
He said this process of making a plan to open back up can begin due to data that he said is moving in the right direction.
"Given where we are with flattening the curve, given the fact that we have more hospital capacity than anyone would have predicted a few weeks ago, I think we are going to be in a place where that hospital system is not at risk, as long as we do this in a way that's intelligent," he said.
"It is important that we get medical professionals on the task force and follow their lead on these things," said Rep. Shevrin Jones.
Jones pointed out the task force has just one medical professional – a hospital CEO. He worries the state is moving too fast and could end up worse off.
"The truth is you could open the businesses back up. But if I open the businesses back up and no one shows up because they are scared or sick, it makes no sense," he said. "We might as well do it right the first time so we don't have to backtrack."
Led by Sen. Dana Young, president and CEO of Visit Florida, industry experts determined they need a path for reopening and a set of universal, easy-to-follow guidelines
"Provide as much certainty as possible, in terms of clear direction on health and safety requirements, enforcements, standards," Young said.
Those on the call included Tim Petrillo, CEO of The Restaurant People; Jose Cil, CEO of Restaurant Brands International; Philip Goldfarb, President and COO of Fontainebleau Miami Beach, and several others to speak from a business perspective.
It was a brainstorm session in each of these areas, where they discussed ideas and questions that will need to be answered going forward.
For restaurants, topics raised included at what capacity they could operate, rules for outdoor dining, how to enforce social distancing and mandating things like disposable menus.
In hotels, suggestions include spraying rooms down with an antibacterial spray after each guest.
They said, through health and safety standards, they need to build confidence in those who patron the business, as well as employees.
They will continue to speak through the rest of the week, and by Friday, the goal is to have ideas to present to the governor.
Additional groups are meeting to focus on other industries, such as agriculture, education, manufacturing, government, finance and utilities.
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