Coronavirus: Volusia to provide update on 'Safer at Home's' impacts

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County government scheduled a press conference for Thursday afternoon to update the public on what the governor's "Safer at Home" order means for Volusia County residents, including how -- or whether -- the order impacts beach access.

The conference will stream live at 4 p.m. on the Volusia County Emergency Management Facebook page, officials said.

While some movements allowed under the executive order were clear, such as grocery shopping, walking, biking, fishing, swimming and hunting -- some things were legally fuzzy, like whether social gatherings of groups of up to 10 on the beach would be allowed to continue.

As of Thursday morning, the county had not yet announced how beach access would be impacted, but the county legal department had been working on the details and legal impact of the order since the governor's announcement.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis handed down a "Safer at Home" executive order -- the aim of which is to limit unnecessary movements throughout the state of Florida.

At least 34 other states had already declared some form of a lockdown prior to DeSantis' announcement, in which he cited guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and consultation with President Trump in expanding an earlier order he'd made for four South Florida counties. As of Thursday morning, there were 7,773 cases and 101 deaths statewide, according to a Florida Department of Health update.

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After the announcement, local government agencies scrambled to find out what the new state rule meant to the local decision-making process and enforcement of the governor's order. That includes the long-debated discussion of whether or not to shutter beach access and whether or not it was necessary, given the shrinking beach crowds shown in ongoing county drone surveillance.

Soon after the "Safer at Home" order was announced, Volusia County Chair Ed Kelley said while he couldn't be sure, he felt the executive order meant the beaches might have to close, regardless of what he would choose.

"The way I understood it, it looks like we would have to close the beaches," Kelley had said in a Wednesday phone call.

The News-Journal is providing this important health information for free. Help support our journalism. SUBSCRIBE HERE.He also said the order made null and void the work that the county had been doing to execute its own safer-at-home order that he and other cities had been working out for two days prior, and was set to be voted on this coming Tuesday.

"Dyer is analyzing the situation," said Kelley, referring to County Attorney Mike Dyer. "After this goes into effect, I'm not even sure traveling to a County Council meeting is essential."

Ultimately, no matter what the county has to say today, Kelley said the whole issue comes down to personal responsibility.

"It's up to each individual to stop the spread," said Kelley.

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The governor's order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday and continues through April 30. People who don't work in businesses deemed essential must stay home, with exceptions, including shopping, picking up food at restaurants and going to see a doctor.

It also allows recreational activities, such as walking, biking, fishing, taking care of pets, caring for a loved one and attending religious services.

Volusia County, in a news release, announced it is opening its Citizens Information Center starting Thursday. Citizens can call with general questions about COVID-19 that county staff can answer.

The phone number is 866-345-0345, and will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

DeSantis, in a press conference Wednesday, acknowledged there will be residents who might not take the order well.

"At this point, all the mitigation that we could do, you know, is done," DeSantis said. "There's parts of the state where that's going to be tough medicine."

This story is breaking. Check back for updates.

Daytona Beach News-Journal Staff Writer Mark Harper and John Kennedy of the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau contributed to this report.

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