© The Epoch TimesFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis in Tallahassee
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a statewide stay-at-home order on April 1 last year, locking down the Sunshine State for 30 days amid global panic about the
CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus outbreak. Sitting in his office exactly one year later, he told
The Epoch Times that the
lockdowns were a "huge mistake," including in his own state.
"We wanted to mitigate the damage. Now, in hindsight, the 15 days to slow the spread and the 30 — it didn't work," DeSantis said.
"We shouldn't have gone down that road."Florida's
lockdown order was notably less strict than some of the stay-at-home measures imposed in other states. Recreational activities like walking, biking, playing golf, and beachgoing were allowed, while what constituted an "essential business" was broadly defined.
"Our economy kept going. It was much different than what you saw in some of those lockdown states."However, the governor now regrets issuing the order at all and is convinced that states that have carried on with lockdowns
are perpetuating a destructive blunder.After the initial 30-day lockdown in Florida lapsed, DeSantis commenced a phased reopening. He faced fierce criticism at each stage from establishment media, as well as segments of his own constituency beholden to the lockdown narrative.
The governor fully reopened Florida on Sept. 25, 2020. When cases began to rise as part of the winter surge, he didn't reimpose any restrictions. While lockdown proponents forecasted doom and gloom, DeSantis stood his ground.
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