ORLANDO, Fla – Gov. Ron DeSantis stood firm Tuesday, saying he would not allow any renewed COVID-19-related restrictions, even as the virus resurges in Florida predominantly among unvaccinated individuals.

“This is a moment of truth for our county, but this is an unvaccinated issue,” said Dr. Raul Pino, director of Florida Department of Health in Orange County, on Monday.

Coronavirus cases in Florida rose sharply as Florida Department of Health reported more than 23,000 new coronavirus cases last week – an 8,000-case increase from the previous week.

Statewide, Florida’s overall positivity rate jumped from 4% in recent weeks to 7.8% last week. That matches Orange County where the 14-day rolling positivity rate hit 7.8% on Monday, double that of 4.28% two weeks ago.

On Monday, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he is encouraging people to consider wearing masks while in crowded indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. 

Encouraging mask wearing is the most local leaders can do after a mix of new state laws and executive orders enacted earlier this year prohibit local governments from enforcing restrictions or imposing fines.

Asked about the growing cases Tuesday, DeSantis said the state will not take any action that restrictions a person’s ability to decide for themselves what they want to do.

“No mandates for anything, these are individual choices,” DeSantis said.

The governor said the uptick in cases should not be a surprise.

“I made comments at the end of April or beginning of May, I said ‘look, this is a seasonal pattern, we knew it was going to be low in May and it was low, and we knew when we got to the end of June, July, it was going to go up, and it was because that’s what it did last year and it’s not unique just to Florida,” DeSantis said.

The uptick in cases in Florida – and nationally – come as the Biden administration is trying to fight vaccine hesitancy.

The U.S. feel short of the Biden administration’s goal of having 70% of all adults vaccinated by July 4.

In Florida, it is estimated approximately 10 million people, 49.96% of the state’s population, is fully vaccinated.

Governor DeSantis, who privately received a dose of the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine in April, said the state is doing well in making vaccines available to anyone who wants it.

Seniors are among the most vaccinated, as there is concern about younger populations remaining unvaccinated. According to Florida Department of Health’s weekly vaccine release, more than three million Floridians age 65+ are fully vaccinated, compared to only 410 vaccinations for those between the age of 12 and 14.

Age Group | Fully Vaccinated (Series Complete)
Source: Florida Department of Health

12-14 Years: 410
15-24 Years: 519,348
25-34 Years: 734,278
35-44 Years: 738,278
45-54 Years: 1,211,204
55-64 Years: 1,673,943
65-74 Years: 1,887,402
75-84 Years: 1,064,532
85+ Years: 352,218

DeSantis said he also does not believe school districts should require students and staff to wear masks.

“In particular, with schools, I think everyone knows by now, schools have not been in any way a high risk environment, and I think it’s very unfair for some of the youngest kids who are the least susceptible, least likely to spread it, they have the mitigation imposed on them more severely than adults do,” he said.  

Mask requirements remain a political issue with mixed responses.

Florida State Representative Rene Plasencia (R-District 50) said he believes local districts should have the “right and ability to mandate masks in their district”, but in larger urban areas like Orange County, he favors mask requirements.

“Personally, I have a daughter that’s in middle school, I’d feel a lot more comfortable if it was required in our school because I really believe in the ability for masks to reduce the rate of contracting not just COVID19, but any other illness going out,” Plasencia said.