MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Spring break is around the corner, and soon every city and beach in South Florida, including Miami Beach, will be packed with college students and tourists from across the country and around the world.
However, with coronavirus concerns rising, especially with three cases of the virus confirmed in Florida, city and state leaders want to make sure that spring breakers don’t share more than just a good time.
“We have a lot of people who go over to places like Italy, studying abroad, but then now it’s kind of the spring break, so now people are coming back for that and it’s obviously a concern,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
The City of Miami Beach will be installing hand sanitizing stations and hand washing stations from 7th to 10th Streets and ensure they’re all in place by the weekend.
For now, both Miami-Dade and Broward counties are not planning to cancel or interfere with any of the huge gatherings ahead.
“Those things could change, it all depends on how this virus progresses and if it comes into Miami-Dade and how it’s progressing, so these decisions will be made when the time comes,” Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said. “Right now, they advise us not to cancel any of those activities.”
“Come, have a good time in Broward,” Tracy Jackson, director of regional emergency services and communications in Broward County, said. “Just remember that with the threat of the coronavirus, the best thing for us all to do is to follow the precautions that are already listed through the Centers for Disease Control and our local Department of Health.”
In Fort Lauderdale, the city’s Public Affairs Manager Chaz Adams said leaders “stand ready to take further actions as part of a coordinated countywide response if developments warrant.”
The good news is, everyone in Miami Beach that 7News spoke with is well aware of the importance of prevention and keeping their hands clean.
“You don’t know what other people are doing, you can only really take care of yourself,” said Canadian tourist Gehrig Hale.
“I’m going to make sure I keep my hands clean,” said one tourist. “I don’t want to go back to Philly with no virus. I’m trying to be cleaner than when I came.”
“I have hand sanitizer in my car,” said Canadian tourist Briana Carter. “Don’t touch people you don’t know. If you’re intoxicated don’t be like all over people.”
A concern for many is whether or not Ultra Music Festival will be held during Miami Music Week, but event organizers said they are running as scheduled but are also monitoring the situation with the coronavirus.
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