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In his first two days as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ coronavirus briefings, he has taken a drastically different tone from the one put forth by President Donald Trump, his most prominent ally.
DeSantis has urged Floridians to take the virus seriously, blasting those who have disregarded social distancing guidelines. He has worn a mask himself and admonished those who don’t. He has named an outside health adviser and organized “strike teams” of local health care workers to battle the virus.
So far, the approach has earned DeSantis a fair bit of praise from some health experts. They have lauded his more detailed approach to preventing the virus’ spread and his embracing of public health advice.
At the same time, his comments about those who have flouted virus guidelines have also earned him criticism from some of the same people who had praised his approach. His candor about the seriousness of the virus has worried some public health experts, who worry that his harsh criticisms might leave people feeling stigmatized or discouraged from getting tested.
Others worry that such comments might embolden skeptics of public health measures, whose disregard have helped fuel a rise in cases in recent weeks. And, while DeSantis called out college students in particular on the first day of his briefings, some worry that his hardline approach might make it harder to get young people to follow virus guidelines in the future.
On the other hand, DeSantis’ approach could potentially help get more hesitant Floridians to take the virus seriously and follow public health advice – judiciously and consistently. But, as the virus continues to spread in Florida, it’s still unclear whether DeSantis’ approach will be effective.