Florida, like much of America, was beginning to believe the pandemic was close to being over, and was wrong. Prior experience may have lulled the state into a false sense of security, unprepared for how much more aggressive the delta variant would be.
Florida has enjoyed structural advantages in slowing down Covid-19’s spread. It is less densely populated than a state like New York, with more single-family homes, which reduces the opportunities for people to have contact with others and potentially spread the virus. The weather is warmer, which makes it easier for people to stay outside, where the virus doesn’t transmit as easily.
By the end of last year, there was not much of a discernible difference between the case and death numbers in a state like Florida, with its relaxed approach to Covid-19, and a state like California that was much more proactive. It lent some credence to the case DeSantis and other conservatives were making, that public health experts were being too aggressive in trying to regulate people’s behavior, with little evident benefit.
But then Florida’s vaccination rates lagged and the virus evolved to be more infectious. The stage was set for another devastating wave.
It’s the same story all over the country. Florida is surrounded by the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, with below-average vaccinations and few official restrictions that are currently enduring some of their worst weeks of Covid-19.
People are also returning to normal activities of walking and driving. Those activities have risen above the pre-pandemic baseline in Florida, according to Apple mobility data, and transit has returned close to normal levels after a big drop last spring.
It’s not hard to understand why. The federal government had appeared to be signaling the end of the pandemic a few months ago, with more relaxed masking guidance and the Biden White House embracing July 4 as a national reopening of sorts, before the delta variant came surging back.
The new wave of cases across the country has forced many state and national leaders to revise their public messages. The vaccines do still provide strong protection against the most severe Covid-19 symptoms, but having the shot does not mean you are not a transmitter and more caution may be warranted given the high level of spread in the US. Experts are urging people to wear masks in public again and to consider avoiding large gatherings, especially indoors.
DeSantis has been resisting new interventions, despite the record cases and hospitalizations, following the same protocol he advocated throughout the pandemic. However, Florida is paying a steep price for its struggles to vaccinate people and maintain vigilance against the virus. Nearly 43,000 Floridians have died in the pandemic altogether.
Even if the latest wave is plateauing, there are still difficult weeks ahead for both Florida and the United States of America.