Florida Keys to reopen to visitors June 1, leaders say. Hotels will reopen, checkpoints to end.
The Florida Keys will reopen to tourists June 1 by removing the checkpoints at the entrances to the island chain and allowing hotels to reopen at 50 percent occupancy, Monroe County leaders announced.
This is contingent on the state of the novel coronavirus in the Keys, county spokeswoman Kristen Livengood said in a statement Sunday night. As of Sunday, the Keys had 100 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, three deaths and 12 hospitalizations.
“Should the Florida Keys experience an increase in cases and under the advisement of the Florida Department of Health, restrictions may be heightened and amenities may again be closed,” Livengood said.
The decision to reopen was made in light of the Keys’ low COVID-19 infection rate in comparison to neighboring hot spots Miami-Dade and Broward counties. For the past week the only new cases have come from an Upper Keys nursing home, Livengood said.
“It was the toughest decision they’ve had to make,” Livengood said, of the county leaders’ June 1 plan. “It’s time to start moving forward, and they followed the plan they’ve had in place. The checkpoint has done what it’s needed to do.”
Since March 22, the Keys have been closed to people who don’t live or work in the county. Airports in Key West and Marathon remain open, but passengers are screened and told to self-quarantine for 14 days.
On March 27, the county put up checkpoints at mile marker 112.5 on U.S. 1 and County Road 905 to keep out non-residents.
“Airport screenings and bus restrictions will also be lifted on June 1,” Livengood said.
Monroe leaders urged Keys residents to continue to follow social distancing restrictions set by the state, county and municipalities to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
The June 1 reopening plan was announced the night before Monday, when the governor said gyms could reopen and restaurants could fill their dining rooms up to 50 percent capacity.
Bars remain closed statewide.
Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers said that with the only significant increase in cases coming from the Plantation Key nursing home, it appears the steps Monroe took to stop the spread of the virus within the island chain have worked.
“Life goes on, and it will,” she said during a coordinating conference call with other Keys government and business leaders Monday morning.
But, she cautioned that the new rules must be followed by everyone if the reopening is to be successful.
“People should not let down their guard and pretend the virus is over, because it is not,” Carruthers said.
Bob Eadie, Monroe County administrator for the Florida Department of Health, agreed with Carruthers, noting no one has been hospitalized in the Keys with COVID-19 in weeks.
“From a public health standpoint, it seems like we have the virus in check in Monroe County,” Eadie said Monday.
He also warned that the situation is precarious and said it is more important than ever that individuals follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, including regularly washing hands, wearing masks in public and practicing social distancing.
“We’re entering a new phase, but I think we’re prepared as much as we can be,” Eadie said.
This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 8:29 PM.
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